United Nations, June 21 (RHC)-- Air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death globally, according to the fifth edition of the State of Global Air (SoGA) report, published by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an independent non-profit research organization, in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The study boasts of the collaboration of more than 10,000 researchers from around the world.  According to the document, air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021.

This cause alone is surpassed by hypertension in the world population and malnutrition in children under five years of age, the recent study noted.

Air pollution is the second-leading risk factor for death globally for children under five, after malnutrition.

The report also highlighted that these “are especially vulnerable, with health effects that include premature birth, low birth weight, asthma and lung diseases.”  “In 2021, exposure to air pollution was linked to more than 700,000 deaths in children under five,” the report stated.

With data from more than 200 countries and territories around the world, the report reflected that “almost everyone on Earth breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution every day, with far-reaching health implications.”