A new cohort study published in the Lancet Public Health suggests that London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is associated with improved lung function growth in children. The five-year study, which included a comparison area in Luton, found that air pollution decreased more rapidly in London.
This reduction in air pollution was linked to a catch-up in lung function growth among children in London. Initially, children in London had lower lung function levels than those in Luton, but by the end of the study in 2022, their levels were similar.
Professor Anna Hansell, Professor in Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Leicester, noted that while air pollution levels fell, they remained above World Health Organization guidelines by 2022. The study also indicated that the impact of air pollution on lung function was more pronounced in Asian and Black children compared to White children.
Professor Nick Hopkinson of Imperial College London highlighted that the study provides strong evidence that reducing exposure to air pollution can allow lung growth to recover. He added that failure of lung growth in early life is linked to ill health in adulthood, including increased vulnerability to asthma, COPD, and cardiovascular disease.