At a Glance

Global life expectancy has declined nearly two years because of the increase in air pollutants.Residents in parts of China and India can expect to lose six years of life expectancy.In the U.S., air pollution from fossil fuels will shorten life expectancy by a year.

Air pollution caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels has become thedeadliest threatto human health, a new index says.

The newly created University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI)found that global life expectancy has dropped1.8years because of theincrease in air pollutants.

While people in Asia sufferthe worst from air pollution, with residents in parts of India and China expected to loseup to six to 11 years of life expectancy, people in the United States can also expect to lose at least a year oflife because of , according to a report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC).

There are many sources of air pollution, but particulate matter (PM) air pollution that comes primarily from fossil fuels is the deadliest, the study notes.

"Its microscopic particles penetrate deep into the lungs, bypassing the body’s natural defenses," the study says. "From there, it can enter the bloodstream, causing lung disease, cancer, strokesand heart attacks. There is also evidence of detrimental effects on cognition."

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It is so deadly that it surpassesthe health threats of devastating communicable diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, cigarette smoking, poor diet and even war.

“Around the world today, people are that represents a serious risk to their health. But the way this risk is communicated is very often opaque and confusing, translating air pollution concentrations into colors, like red, brown, orange, and green. What those colors mean for people’s wellbeing has always been unclear,” Michael Greenstone, the Milton Friedman Professor in Economics and director of EPIC, said in a press release.

The EPIC researchers also that allows people to see how many years they might expect to lose from air pollution, depending upon theirlocation.

The scientists say they hope the research and accompanying index will highlight the immediate dangers of fossil fuels and encourage new policies that will promote better air quality.

"While people can stop smoking and take steps to protect themselves from diseases, there is little they can individually do to protect themselves from the air they breathe," Greenstone said. "The AQLI tells citizens and policymakers how particulate pollution is affecting them and their communities and reveals the benefits of policies to reduce particulate pollution."