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Related Experiment Videos

Pollution and children's health.

Philip J Landrigan1, Richard Fuller2, Samantha Fisher2

  • 1Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.

The Science of the Total Environment
|October 8, 2018
PubMed
Summary

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Pollution caused nearly one million child deaths in 2016, primarily in low-income nations. Preventing pollution offers a critical, overlooked strategy to protect children

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pollution, encompassing air, water, soil, and chemical contaminants, poses a significant threat to global child health.
  • In 2016, pollution was linked to 940,000 deaths in children worldwide, with a disproportionate impact on those under five and in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
  • Pollution contributes to both infectious diseases (respiratory, gastrointestinal) and a rising incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in children, including low birth weight, asthma, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the substantial burden of pollution-related mortality and morbidity in children globally.
  • To underscore the link between various forms of pollution and both infectious and non-communicable diseases in pediatric populations.
  • To emphasize the critical, yet underutilized, potential of pollution prevention in safeguarding child health and preventing NCDs, particularly in LMICs.
Keywords:
Children's environmental health;Global health;Non-communicable diseases;Pollution;Prevention

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Main Methods:

  • Analysis of global mortality and morbidity data attributed to pollution in children.
  • Review of existing literature on the health impacts of air, water, soil, and chemical pollution on pediatric populations.
  • Assessment of the role of pollution in the increasing prevalence of NCDs in children.

Main Results:

  • Pollution was responsible for 940,000 child deaths in 2016, with two-thirds affecting children under five.
  • The majority of pollution-related child deaths occurred in LMICs, primarily due to respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases from polluted air and water.
  • Pollution is associated with an increasing number of pediatric NCDs, such as low birth weight, asthma, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders, with the full impact of chemical pollution likely underestimated.

Conclusions:

  • Pollution prevention represents a significant, largely untapped opportunity to enhance children's health and avert NCDs, especially in LMICs.
  • Integrating pollution prevention strategies into NCD control programs is essential for comprehensive disease prevention in children.
  • Further research is needed to fully characterize the impact of chemical pollution on pediatric health and expand the understanding of pollution-disease associations.