The neighbourhood natural environment is associated with asthma in children: A birth cohort study

Autores da FMUP

• André Miguel Afonso De Sousa Moreira

  Autor

• José Henrique Dias Pinto De Barros

  Autor

• Ana Isabel Correia Ribeiro

  Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

• Rufo, JC
• Paciência, I
• Hoffimann, E

Unidades de investigação

• Ciências da Saúde Pública e Forenses, e Educação Médica

• Patologia

Abstract

Background A lower exposure to the natural environment has been hypothesized to adversely affect the human microbiome and its immunomodulatory capacity. However, the underlying effects of this hypothesis are still not understood. We aimed to evaluate the effect of early-life exposure to greenness and species richness on the development of allergic diseases and asthma in children. Methods A longitudinal study was conducted comprising 1050 children from a population-based birth cohort recruited in Portugal. Residential normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and species richness index (SRI) were assessed at baseline to estimate their association with allergic diseases and asthma at the ages of 4 and 7. Results Significant predisposing associations were observed between the exposure to species richness at baseline and the onset of asthma and wheezing at the age of 7. Children living in neighbourhoods surrounded by high levels of SRI were at a significantly higher risk developing allergic sensitization(OR [95% CI] = 2.00 [1.04:3.86] at age 4; 2.35 [1.20:4.63] at age 7). Living surrounded by greener environments was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of asthma and rhinitis at the age of 7(0.41 [0.18:0.97] and 0.37 [0.15:0.93], respectively). Conclusions Living in close proximity to a greener environment at birth has a protective effect on the development of allergic diseases and asthma at the age of 7. Conversely, living in neighbourhoods with a high number of fauna species appears to be associated with a higher risk for allergy, asthma and wheezing.

Keywords

• biodiversity; birth cohort; greenness; neighbourhood; species richness