Transport policies must change to protect to protect child health – study
Air pollution is a major reason children living in congested cities have lower cardiovascular fitness levels and varying blood levels, say researchers.
And now changes to urban transport policies are being called for after a study focused on some 2,000 children in southern Brazil, assessing their fitness in a six-minute walk/run test.
The goal was to examine the influence of the youngsters’ haemoglobin-to-platelet ratio – and its relationship with cardiovascular fitness levels in children and adolescents in both urban and rural locations.
Haemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen around the body, while platelets are small fragments in our blood which are vital for maintaining a good flow, but also stopping and preventing bleeding.
In the study, participant’s haemoglobin and platelet count measurements were recorded, along with age, gender and body size measurements. The results showed that children living in rural locations had significantly higher levels of cardiovascular fitness, as well as higher haemoglobin and lower platelet counts compared to children living in the city and surrounding areas.
The research was led by the UK’s University of Wolverhampton, and supported by Coventry University, the University of Santa Cruz do Sul and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (both in Brazil), and Pontificia Universidad CatĂłlica de ValparaĂso in Chile.
Children and young people living in the city and on the periphery had lower cardiovascular fitness levels, lower haemoglobin and higher platelet counts. Researchers noted that these youngsters are exposed to high levels of air pollution due to the levels of traffic, industries and use of fossil fuels. Numerous studies across the world continue to show a strong link between toxic air pollutants and the incidence of respiratory complaints in children.
These researchers also found stress and exposure linked to social vulnerability – an inactive lifestyle – had a negative impact on immune and haemoglobin levels, and in turn cardiovascular fitness.
They are now calling for more effective public health practices and policies to be put in place for children and adults in Brazil as well as in congested cities worldwide, such as London, which has had some notable documented cases of poor child health because of air pollutants.
Professor Michael Duncan, Director of the Research Centre for Physical Activity, Sports and Exercise Sciences at the University of Coventry, said: “This research has key implications for public health as well as transport policy, as we demonstrate that there is a significant and negative impact on children’s cardiovascular fitness where people live in more congested, traffic-heavy areas.
“Planning for active and sustainable travel may reduce such effects in future and have a knock-on positive benefit for children’s health.”
