Mumbai, – Not unlike their contemporaries in other Asian cities, woman in metroes of India, including those in Mumbai run a significant risk of developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD) from secondhand smoke (SHS), an NGO Smokefree Mumbai has said in its report.

Presenting the report on Chinese women and SHS, published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation (AHAC), today Smokefree Mumbai said the report found that SHS had a significant, negative impact on the health of Chinese women, who had never smoked, the risk which would, without doubt, equate to Indian women too.

The first of its kind report by the AHAC had revealed a link between exposure to SHS and an increased chance of suffering from coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

The study on the women that covered their exposure to SHS at home and at work, and assessment of their cardiovascular health through blood pressure measurement and hospital records showed 39.5 were exposed to SHS and those exposed were ran a significantly higher risk than non-exposed women for coronary hearth disease, ischemic stroke and PAD.

A similar report by World Health Organization (WHO) also revealed the presence of gender-specific issues in exposure to secondhand smoke. The research also suggested that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of breast cancer in young premenopausal nonsmoking women.

”While 97 per cent Mumbaites have voted in favour of smoke-free environment, the ramification of the ban on smoking in public on the women population, largely non-smokers, may be found as reason for contemplation,” observed the report.

Mumbai face

Tags: Green smoking

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