Some illnesses increase the impact of air pollutants. These may include people with respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis, COPD, emphysema etc.), cardiovascular disease (angina, history of heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmia etc.) and diabetes (because of its relationship with heart disease).

Other people who are at greater risk of air pollution include children, the elderly, and people who exercise outdoors.

Children
Not only do children have less developed respiratory systems, but they also inhale more air per kilogram of body weight compared to adults. Children also tend to be more exposed to air pollution because they spend more time outdoors being physically active.

The Elderly
Seniors may also be at increased risk, not simply because of their age, but because seniors are more likely than other adults to have health problems such as heart and lung disease.

If You Exercise
Did you know that the quality of the air can impact the quality of athletic training and performance? Anyone who is active outdoors - whether through sport, work or recreation – is more susceptible to the unhealthy effects of air pollution. That's because they tend to breathe more deeply and rapidly, resulting in more air pollution entering their lungs. 

While exercising, athletes breathe up to ten times more volume of air than someone at rest.