A combination of environmental factors is contributing to increased asthma risk in cities, but this can be averted by designing healthier urban environments, researchers say.
What's happening?
ScienceDaily summarized a major study led by the Stockholm-based Karolinska Institutet, which followed nearly 350,000 people across seven different European countries, evaluating different environmental factors they were exposed to and asthma rates.
Nearly 7,500 of the participants developed asthma as children or adults, and the researchers found that about 1 in 10 asthma cases could be attributed to a combination of three environmental factors: air pollution, outdoor temperatures, and urban density.
Why is this study important?
According to first author Zhebin Yu, most previous studies have calculated risks one environmental factor at a time, while this study combined several to assess how they work together to affect asthma risk.
"This provides a better picture of environmental risks, as life in a city usually involves exposure to several environmental risk factors at the same time," Yu said, per ScienceDaily.
Meanwhile, asthma is not the only negative health outcome associated with factors such as air pollution and heat. For instance, one study tied heat waves to increased risks of early births, especially among Black and Hispanic mothers. And high levels of air pollution can double the chances of developing eczema, according to another investigation. Plus, air pollution and extreme heat have both been tied to mental health challenges.
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What's being done to improve urban environments?
The researchers say that the combination of air pollution, lack of green spaces, and dense urban development was the most relevant one when it comes to asthma risk in cities. They say their study can help politicians and others involved in urban planning.
Some cities and countries are already taking steps to help decrease these and other risks, though. For instance, Los Angeles and Phoenix are using white reflective paint on some roads to cool surface and air temperatures. And Wales is banning most new roadway projects to cut down on traffic pollution.
Additionally, many metropolises across the globe are becoming "sponge cities" by adopting more blue infrastructure, such as lakes and rivers, along with green infrastructure, including parks and gardens. These blue and green spaces not only help in managing floods but also offer health benefits to locals. For instance, one study found that just 10 minutes in nature — including urban parks — can help adults with mental illness.
By choosing more environmentally friendly options to get around — biking, taking public transit, and walking — you can help reduce your exposure to dangerous pollution. And reducing your carbon output will help cool down the overheating planet, which is contributing to higher temperatures in urban environments.
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