US billionaire Bryan Johnson recently expressed his concern over the high levels of air pollution in India, a situation he said poses a more dangerous health threat than cancer. 

Johnson, who is known for his campaign on reverse aging and living longer, was in India in December to popularize his book ‘Don't Die’. However, he soon discovered that the air quality in India needed urgent attention when he spent some time in Mumbai.

Is air pollution a bigger threat than cancer?

Johnson, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed concern over the Indian air pollution, saying that it could "save more years of life by solving air pollution than curing cancer."

 This comment ignited conversations about how this widespread issue of pollution needed urgent action. He also uploaded a video, which depicted the AQI in India for various cities.

During his visit, Johnson's team followed a "simple air protocol" to minimize the impact of the pollution. According to one of his associates in the video, they took portable air filters with them wherever they went so that they could always have access to clean air. 

Johnson himself is seen posing with one such air filter device, which was used in their hotel rooms to maintain a breathable environment. They also used a portable air-quality monitoring device to monitor the levels of pollution.

When working out at his hotel gym, Johnson found the air quality "terrible" and opted to exercise in his room instead. When traveling through Mumbai in a car, he and his team kept the windows closed and used the air circulation feature. 

A mask was also worn whenever stepping outdoors to protect themselves from the pollution. In further reducing exposure, Johnson had to rely on his hotel room air conditioning system that filtered out many contaminants.

His video ended with a very important message from his associate: “Each country has its own silent killer. In India, it’s pollution. In America, it’s obesity. But the most important thing is that you know your environment. And from there, you can take control of your health.”

Johnson's post was picked up by so many on social media, where many agreed that air pollution in India is indeed a huge issue. 

One user wrote, “I hope this reaches enough people that people actually start taking this seriously. I don’t think so people much care about pollution in India. Being able to breathe pollution-free air should be a human right, but it’s becoming a privilege.”

Another user shared an experience, referring New Delhi as the worst place he had ever been for air quality, which was worse than the smog in Los Angeles.

A few echoed Johnson's sentiment, insisting that the focus should be on preventing issues like cancer rather than solely trying to cure it. Johnson's video has already garnered more than 300,000 views on X, further raising awareness about the dangers of air pollution in India.