• Public Health: Air pollution causes 800,000 premature deaths each year in Europe

Pollution drives childhood asthma. A new study by the Gobal Health Institute of Barcelona (ISGlobal) estimates that, in Europe, up to one in three new cases of respiratory disease in children can be attributed to exposure to contaminated air.

These are cases, therefore, that can be prevented . But, for this, "it is necessary to take urgent measures to reduce pollution levels , especially in cities," as noted by Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, a researcher at the Catalan center promoted by La Caixa and a signatory of the work published in the latest issue of the European Respiratory Journal .

The work has studied the situation of 63,442,419 children aged between one and 14 years of 18 European countries, focusing on the relationship between respiratory health and the quality of the air they breathed.

The analysis, Nieuwenhuijsen explains, showed a clear association between these factors, although it also showed differences in the impact of different pollutants.

If the 18 countries studied could reduce, for example, particle concentrations below 2.5 micrometers in diameter "to the lowest levels recorded in previous studies [1.5 microgram / cubic meter in the case of nitrogen dioxide; 0.4 micrograms / cubic meter for particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter], "says the researcher," more than 190,000 cases could be prevented each year, equivalent to 33% of new cases . "

If this reduction, however, were achieved with two other contaminants, nitrogen dioxide and black carbon, the reduction would be, respectively, 23% and 15% of the diagnoses.

More control

The data obtained by the ISGlobal team also suggest that the recommendations currently established by the World Health Organization regarding air pollutant limits should be further restricted . In fact, it is expected that in 2020 the agency will publish new recommendations that update the current ones, which were established in 2005.

Complying with WHO's values ​​regarding nitrogen dioxide levels [40 micrograms / cubic meter (annual average)] would prevent 2,434 new cases of childhood asthma, 0.4% of the total, while a reduction to Lower levels recorded would raise this percentage to 23%, the researchers say in the study.

"Our data shows that it is necessary to reduce air pollution levels . Politicians have to have the courage to take measures to reduce pollution," says Nieuwenhuijsen, who recalls that up to 40% of polluting particles come from traffic, and other sources, such as industry or heating also have an important impact.

The study, on the other hand, has once again revealed important differences in the levels of pollution between Northern and Southern Europe. "Cities like Madrid and Barcelona, ​​which have a traffic density four times higher than London, have the highest levels in Europe," he says.

Although the variations in the incidence of asthma in Europe cannot be attributed solely to the different levels of pollution - since the risk of developing the disease also involves other factors - the researchers stress that the evidence on the damage caused by pollution on Health are enough for a call to action.

"There are numerous data on how pollution affects respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases or even cognitive development in children," says Nieuwenhuijsen.

"It is necessary to improve the air quality, change the model of cities and provide alternatives so that people can move without using the car. It is difficult, it is expensive, but it is worth it because achieving it will not only have a beneficial impact on health , but also in temperature, in noise levels, in the availability of green areas or the promotion of physical exercise, among other things, "he concludes.

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