London Kids' Lungs Recover
Researchers found that children in London showed impressive improvements in lung growth after the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London found that children in London whose lung growth had been stunted by pollution showed impressive improvements after the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone in 2019 reduced emissions. The study followed more than 3,400 primary school children in London and Luton.
Study Details
The study recruited six to nine-year-olds attending primary schools in London's ultra low emission zone and followed the same children for five years, comparing them to similar children in Luton. Children in the study had annual lung function and capacity tests in the year before Ulez came in and for four years after.
Initial results showed children's lungs in London were smaller in capacity than those in Luton, which is less polluted than London but has a similar mix of pollutants. At the end of the study the children's lung capacity reached near identical levels in both groups.
Lung Capacity Improvements
The main test measured how much air a child could forcibly breathe out in one second after a big breath in. The improvements could mean children in the London group could run as fast as the Luton group without getting out of breath. Another way of testing for lung capacity used in the study showed significant improvements too, though not to the same extent.
| Location | Clinically Impaired Lung Capacity Before Ulez | Clinically Impaired Lung Capacity After Ulez |
|---|---|---|
| London | 14% | 9% |
| Luton | 9% | 7% |
Expert Reaction
Prof Anna Hansell, at the University of Leicester, said the improved lung function in children was likely to have lifelong benefits for their health. Lead author, Dr Helen Wood, at Queen Mary University of London said while the results were very promising there was no room for complacency as air pollution in both London and Luton remains above WHO guideline levels.
The BBC reports that the study's findings are key to demonstrating the importance of clean air zones in reducing the harm caused by pollution during childhood. According to the source, the study provides the strongest evidence yet that local clean air zones could help reduce some of the harm caused by pollution during childhood. The team's measurements also showed the level of nitrogen dioxide children were exposed to fell faster in London than in Luton over this time. Prof Chris Griffiths, a senior author on the study, told the BBC that he was absolutely stunned when he first saw the results, and that the speed of catch up in lung capacity in the London group was surprising and impressive. The study is published in the Lancet Public Health.
