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GEO Health
Health Effects of Selected Environmental Exposomes Across the Life Course – India & US
2
Countries Covered
7
Cities Monitored
5
Cohorts Integrated
Overview
HEALS studies the impact of environmental exposures air pollutants (PM2.5, NO2, O3) and extreme temperatures on health across the life course in India and the US. The project combines high-resolution environmental data with multi-cohort health assessments to generate evidence for policy and preventive interventions.
Aim
To understand how environmental exposures affect health across generations and support strategies that reduce disease burden and improve public health.
Objectives
1/2 - GEO Health Health Effects of Selected Environmental Exposomes across the Life Course (HEALS) - India
Objectives:
The present project aims to study the effect of environmental exposomes: PM2.5, NO2, O3, and extremes of temperature on multiple health outcomes through a modified life course approach to inform policy interventions. The study aims to assess the exposomes at fine spatiotemporal resolutions across different locations in India (Delhi, Chennai, Sonipat, Vizag, Pune, Hyderabad, and Bikaner).
2/2 - GEO Health Health Effects of Selected Environmental Exposomes across the Life Course (HEALS) - US
Objectives
The proposed project will focus on training early career faculty and researchers and recent post-docs in designing a research study, writing up a proposal, and carrying out research on topics related to the research aims.
Brief Study Profile
Study Setting
This is a multi-center study with the following study sites at Bikaner, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Vizag, Delhi and Sonipat in following cohorts- LIFE & MILES (Hyderabad), GARBH (Bikaner), PMNS (Pune), CARRS (Delhi & Chennai) and UDAY (Sonipat & Vizag).
Study Variables to be assessed
Environmental exposures such as air pollutants like fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM) speciation analysis for metals, ionic species, elemental and black carbon, personal monitoring for air pollution (subset of participants) and ambient temperature.
Study Outcomes
The proposed project will investigate multiple health outcomes in the respective cohorts (Pregnancy related health outcomes (Cohorts: LIFE & GARBH) including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, still birth, gestational period; Child health outcomes (Cohort: PMNS) includes birthweight, preterm birth, anthropometry, neurodevelopment/cognitive function; Cardio metabolic risk factors (Cohorts: CARRS & UDAY) includes anthropometry, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, blood pressure, lipid markers, HOMA-B, HOMA-IR, Disposition Index, blood pressure and arterial stiffness, adiposity, growth trajectories; CVD Incidence includes incidence of Heart disease; Stroke; type 2 diabetes mellitus; hypertension, CVD mortality and all-cause mortality; Age related & Neuro-degenerative outcomes (Cohorts: CARRS, UDAY & MILES) including physical function, cognitive decline, bone and muscle quality) using a modified life course approach.
Current Status of the Study
Ongoing for SHARE INDIA site.
Environmental data collection started in May 2025 and ended in July 2025 for summer wave. For winter wave, filter collection ended in early 2025. Filters were collected from 8 peripheral sites in 8 day cycle at each site, in addition to SHARE India site. Collocation experiment was done at the end of the wave for 8 days at SHARE India. Filters were stored at -80 deg refrigerator, awaiting transportation to IIT Kanpur.
Thus, both summer and winter waves of air pollution data have been collected from SHARE India site. Data collection for personal monitoring and speciation commenced from November 2025. For this phase, 120 individuals from selected geocoded locations are being followed for personal exposure. Summer wave for personal speciation is planned from April 2026.