TB "Most of us are in China, knowing full well the risks. And what method of monitoring would you advise? Spirometry? (by the time changes detected, irreversible damage is done). High-res CT (regular monitoring radiation outweighs benefits)?"

Before I posted I did a quick Google search on the rates of lung diseases in China & the U.S., and that didn't give me a good handle on what the rate of lung diseases is in China compared to the U.S. I think people definitely have the idea that they are more at risk, but I doubt that many people know how much more at risk they would be in China of contracting COPD, Asthma or pulmonary fibrosis than they would be if they lived in the U.S. If I was living long term in China, I would want to know. To begin finding out, I would contact a sophisticated pulmonary specialist and ask him what he thinks about living in China and how he would minimize risks. For instance, living in certain neighborhoods in Beijing might be safer than others because the safer neighborhoods might be farther away from dangerous factories. Any number of lifestyle modifications may or may not be helpful. However, I would be proactive rather than passive in protecting my lungs.

I would add that I have had good luck in the past in taking a proactive approach to health problems. 20 years ago a podiatrist told me I needed an operation for a bunion on my big toe. An orthopedic surgeon simply recommended minor drug treatments. I totally solved the problem (at least up to now) by changing the shoes I wore. (Certain shoes took the pressure off of my toe, and that solved the problem.) Also, about 15 years ago, I added lifting weights to aerobic exercise. This almost completely solved a substantial back problem, and by mechanisms I don't understand, reduced really nasty headaches (not quite migraines but pretty bad) by about 95%.

From my perspective, I would rather try to solve a potential problem rather than passively accept whatever comes my way.