Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Residents of urban areas face a higher risk of developing asthma due to environmental pollution and the scarcity of green spaces, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.
Experts believe that improved urban planning could prevent more than one in ten new cases of this respiratory illness.
Rafael de Cid, the scientific director of the GCAT/Genomas para la Vida project at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, stated that this study provides solid evidence of the need to rethink urban models.
“The incorporation of environmental criteria in urban planning can significantly reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and improve the quality of life for the population,” he added.
The research involved approximately 350,000 children and adults from Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Estonia.
The researchers used satellite mapping data to estimate individuals’ exposure to environmental factors that could increase the risk of asthma or other chronic illnesses.
These factors included air pollution, green spaces, built-up area density, artificial nighttime light, and average annual temperature.
The research showed that adults exposed to high levels of air pollution (from particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide) had a 13% higher likelihood of suffering from asthma.
Additionally, both children and adults faced a 36% and 15% increased risk of this respiratory condition, respectively, if they lived in highly developed urban areas with few green spaces.
Specialists estimated that nearly 12% of new asthma cases could be prevented if measures were taken to reduce air pollution and introduce more green spaces in heavily developed areas. (Source: Prensa Latina) (Photo: Internet)
