Study One in four childhood deaths is related to pollution

WHO warns against the effects of pollution on children under 5 years old
Many deaths in children under the age of five are due to the increasing pollution of our environment. Researchers now found that one in four deaths of children at this age is actually related to polluted air, contaminated water and a general lack of hygiene.

World Health Organization (WHO) scientists have found in their current study that one out of every four deaths in children under the age of five is related to environmental pollution. The experts published a press release on the results of their study.

The effects of pollution endanger the health of all people worldwide. Experts found that children under the age of five are at particular risk. Every year, millions of children die as a result of environmental pollution. (Image: ebenart / fotolia.com)

Many people around the world need safe fuel for cooking
The world's polluted environment causes the death of 1.7 million children every year, explain the authors of the WHO. Many of these deaths could be avoided by interventions that have already been tested. These include, for example, the provision of clean fuels for safe indoor cooking. Thus, a dangerous air pollution in living spaces can be prevented.

Young children are particularly vulnerable to pollution
A polluted environment is a deadly danger, especially for small children, says the Director-General of WHO. Margaret Chan. Her developing organs, immune systems and respiratory system make children particularly vulnerable to the effects of filthy air and contaminated water, Chan continued.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under five years old
The damage caused by air pollution can begin in the womb. The consequence of this is that the risk of premature birth increases. After birth, for example, there is the danger that pneumonia will develop as a result of the air pollution that occurs. This disease is the leading cause of death in children under the age of five, explain the authors. In addition, the air pollution leads to lifelong lung diseases such as asthma and can also increase the risk of heart disease, strokes and cancer, the specialists add.

Environmental influences have a strong impact on child mortality
The current report presents a comprehensive review of the effects of unhealthy environmental conditions. The researchers found that each year about 570,000 children under the age of five die as a result of respiratory infections. Another approximately 361,000 children die of diarrhea, which results, for example, as a result of polluted water and poor hygiene.

What impact does air pollution have on our children??
WHO experts estimate that about eleven to fourteen percent of children aged 5 years and older suffer from asthma symptoms. About half of these cases are probably related to air pollution. The study also suggests that the warmer temperatures and higher levels of carbon dioxide are related to climate change and increased pollen count, explain the physicians. This effect causes the existing asthma to worsen.

Diarrhea and malaria cost many children their lives
The World Health Organization scientists also stress that a large proportion of childhood deaths are due to causes such as diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. These deaths could be prevented by reducing the pollution of our environment.

How can we reduce child deaths??
Improving access to clean water and safe cooking fuels, removing unsafe building materials and lead inks, and reducing the use of hazardous pesticides and harmful chemicals could, in the long run, prevent so many deaths, say WHO experts.

Deaths due to malaria must be reduced
An estimated 200,000 deaths in children under the age of five are due solely to malaria. This number could be significantly reduced by avoiding unhygienic drinking water storage and thus reducing the habitats for mosquito breeding, the researchers say.

New harmful environmental influences are on the rise
At present, there are a number of new harmful environmental factors, for example due to discarded old mobile phones and other electronic waste. This waste is expected to reach 50 million tonnes by next year, experts say. If such waste is not properly recycled, it can expose children to dangerous toxins. These then lead to reduced intelligence, attention deficit disorders, lung damage and cancer, warn the doctors of the WHO. (As)