Urban dwellers face a higher risk of developing asthma due to dirty air and lower amounts of green space, according to a major new study.
In fact, better urban planning could prevent more than 1 in 10 new asthma cases, researchers estimated recently in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.
Researcher Rafael de Cid stated in a news release: “This study provides strong evidence for the need to rethink our city model.” He’s scientific director of the GCAT/Genomes for Life project at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain.
De Cid added: “Incorporating environmental criteria into urban planning can significantly reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and improve population quality of life.”
Study Scope
The new study involved nearly 350,000 children and adults participating in 14 European health research projects. Countries represented included Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, and Estonia.
Researchers used satellite mapping data to estimate each person’s exposure to environmental factors that could increase risk of asthma or other chronic diseases.
These factors included air pollution, green space, built surface density, artificial nighttime light, and average annual temperature.
Key Findings
Results showed that adults exposed to high levels of air pollution—particle pollution and nitrogen dioxide—had 13% greater odds for asthma.
Likewise, both children and adults had a 36% and 15% increased risk of asthma, respectively, if they lived in highly developed urban areas with little green space.
Overall, the risk of asthma increased about 13% in children and 15% in adults for every 20% increase in a combined environmental risk score representing higher air pollution, heavily built-up areas, and lower levels of green space, results show.
Prevention Potential
Researchers estimated that nearly 12% of new asthma cases could be prevented if steps were taken to lower air pollution and introduce more green space into heavily developed places.
Researchers wrote: “Our results underscore the importance of incorporating multiple environmental exposures into urban planning, including the identification of local ‘hotspots’ where harmful exposures overlap.”
They said future studies also might factor in other urban features that could affect health, including road traffic noise and walkability.
This research provides compelling evidence that environmental factors in urban areas significantly impact respiratory health and suggests that thoughtful city planning incorporating green spaces and air quality improvements could substantially reduce asthma incidence among urban populations.
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