Section:GDN 1N PaGe:13 Edition Date:190808 Edition:01 Zone: Sent at 7/8/2019 19:20 cYanmaGentaYellowbl
Thursday 8 August 2019 The Guardian •
13Dr Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, from the
Barcelona Institute of Global Health
(ISGlobal), and a co-author of the
research.
While the study shows thou-
sands of new cases of asthma could
be prevented each year by adhering
to guidelines set by the World Health
Organization, the study said there was
more to do, adding that the evidence
suggest ed there was no threshold level
when it c ame to the impact of air pol-
lution on health.
The new study suggests that, if the
18 countries in the study were to meet
the limits for PM2.5 levels, 66,600 new
cases of childhood asthma – equating
to 11% of new diagnoses – would be
prevented each year, about 10,400 of
which would be prevented in the UK.
Meanwhile, across the 18 countries,
a total of 2,400 new cases would be
prevented each year if WHO limits for
NO 2 were met.
Professor Stephen Holgate, spe-
cial adviser on air quality for the Royal
College of Physicians in London, said
the study showed meeting WHO air
pollution limits would create a “mas-
sive health gain”.
“This groundbreaking study con-
firms the massive impact that air
pollution has on childhood asthma,
not only in making it worse in those
who already suff er, but initiating new
asthma,” he said, adding that the UK
had one of the highest prevalences of
asthma worldwide.▲ A soft hand
suitable for carrying
out surgery or
picking fruit is also
more vulnerable
to damageNicola DavisAlmost 67,000 new cases of asthma
in children across 18 European coun-
tries 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 pol-
lution on human health. In April a
landmark study estimated that, glob-
ally, 4 million new asthma cases every
year among those aged one to 18 were
down to levels of nitrogen dioxide
(NO 2 ) in the air.
The latest study, which focused on
asthma diagnoses among children
aged one to 14, looked at components
of toxic air including fi ne particulate
matter known as PM2.5 as well as NO 2 ,
both of which are released by road
vehicles among other sources.
“A considerable proportion of child-
hood asthma is actually caused by air
pollution, particularly PM2.5,” saidHitting clean air
targets ‘would
stop thousands
of asthma cases’
Ava, the robot in
the 2015 sci-fi
fi lm Ex Machina,
is able to repair
herself after a fi ght
with her creator
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