3 July, 2025
The International Respiratory Coalition’s (IRC) online Lung Facts tool has been updated to include the latest data relating to risk factors and their impact on the burden of respiratory diseases in Europe.
New data is available for the impact that various risk factors have on how much healthy life is lost due to a number of major respiratory illnesses. Figures are available for asthma, COPD, lung cancer, mesothelioma, lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and tuberculosis.
Within each disease area, risk factor data is provided for males and females, in addition to an overall figure. Paediatric data is also available for asthma and LRTIs. All figures are taken from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021.
Fine particulate matter, ozone, occupational air quality, smoking, and high body mass index are among the risk factors with the highest impact.
Lung Facts risk factor data shows the proportion of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) that would not have happened if the risk factor did not exist; it provides a percentage as an estimate of the proportion of disease burden which is attributable to each risk factor.
The data shows that smoking (38.3%) and air pollution (11.1%) account for almost half of the DALY burden for COPD across the WHO European Region. For people living with asthma, the highest DALY burden is attributed to high BMI (23.8%) and smoking (8.6%).
View risk factor data for all diseases.
Lung Facts was first introduced by the IRC in September 2022, using 2019 GBD data. It was developed to fill an important gap – offering a reliable, free-to-access platform which hosts the latest respiratory disease data across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. It can be accessed by anybody who needs it.
Limitations do still exist within the risk factor data: several potential risk factors are not included within the GBD database or published literature, and some risk factors can also be defined differently, which can lead to misinterpretation. For example, several particles that make up household air pollution are reported individually within the GBD, rather than as a combined risk factor.
Primarily, however, Lung Facts is a tool that demonstrates why respiratory healthcare needs urgent attention and investment. With risk factor data now available, it can be used as a proxy for the prioritisation of policy work around those proven impacts.
Prof. Guy Joos, Chair of the IRC Operational Committee, said: “This latest update of the Lung Facts resource reinforces the IRC’s belief that data should drive action.
“Risk factors for respiratory illnesses – such as smoking, air pollution and high BMI – are well known among healthcare professionals. However, the extent of their impact on the amount of healthy life that is lost to each illness is now clear.
“Many respiratory illnesses are preventable; this is why it is crucial to continue pushing for policy change. This will make a big difference by reducing the impact of risk factors such as smoking and air pollution; in turn, it is the key to reducing the health and economic burden of respiratory illnesses across the WHO European Region.”