Hitting clean air targets 'could stop 67,000 child asthma cases a year'

Staying within WHO pollution limits would prevent 11% of new diagnoses, study says

Almost 67,000 new cases of asthma in children across 18 European countries could be prevented every year if levels of tiny particulates polluting the air are cut to recommended levels, research suggests.

The study joins a growing body of research into the impact of air pollution on human health. A landmark study published in April estimated that 4m new asthma cases a year globally among those aged one to 18 were down to levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in the air.

Related: Vehicle pollution 'results in 4m child asthma cases a year'

Air pollution has been described as the ‘new tobacco’ by the head of the World Health Organization. Over 90% of the world’s population suffers toxic air and research is increasingly revealing the profound impacts on the health of people, especially children.

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from Asthma | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2YPBnbJ