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NEW DELHI: Change in environmental conditions around the world due to human activities could negatively impact the health of millions of people, lead to decline in nutrient-rich crops and expand zinc deficiency, according to a set of studies released by US-based Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Thursday.
The changes could lead to deficiency of Vitamin A, Zinc and Folate in millions of people, especially in south Asia, including India, and lead to nearly 1.42 million deaths every year due to non-communicable diseases like heart diseases and cancer.
One of the studies on pollinators said that the decreasing numbers of food pollinators such as bees—falling in part due to pesticide use and destruction of habitats—could lead to a decline in nutrient-rich crops that have been linked with staving off disease. The second study on zinc revealed that the increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) could lead to lower levels of zinc in food which could greatly expand zinc deficiency in humans.
The studies said that the complete loss of animal pollinators globally would make 71 million people suffer from vitamin A deficiency and 173 million from folate deficiency and would lead to about 1.42 million additional deaths every year from non-communicable diseases and malnutrition-related diseases—a 2.7% increase in total yearly deaths.
