A large European study reveals that the combined impact of air pollution, dense urban living, and limited green spaces significantly increases the risk of asthma in both children and adults.
Led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet, the study analyzed nearly 350,000 individuals across seven countries, linking environmental data to personal health outcomes.
Using satellite imagery to assess urban density, green areas, and pollution levels around participants’ homes, the researchers found that 11.6% of asthma cases could be attributed to these environmental factors. This means that in healthier urban environments, roughly one in ten asthma cases might be prevented.
Professor Erik Melén, the study’s lead author, emphasizes the importance of these findings for urban planning, noting the potential to identify high-risk areas and design cities that better protect respiratory health.
Next steps include analyzing blood samples to understand how environmental exposures affect body metabolism, aiming to uncover biological mechanisms behind asthma development.
This research is part of the broader EU EXPANSE project, which also studies how multiple environmental exposures influence risks for diseases like stroke, heart attack, COPD, and diabetes.
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