Ambient air pollution, urban green space and childhood overweight and obesity: A health impact assessment for Barcelona, Spain

Nguyen Thi Khanh, Huyen; Rigau Sabadell, Mariona; Khomenko, Sasha; Pereira Barboza, Evelise; Cirach, Marta; Duarte Salles, Talita, 1985-; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Vrijheid, Martine; Mueller, Natalie, 1988-; Bont, Jeroen de

Ambient air pollution, urban green space and childhood overweight and obesity: A health impact assessment for Barcelona, Spain

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dc.contributor.author Nguyen Thi Khanh, Huyen
dc.contributor.author Rigau Sabadell, Mariona
dc.contributor.author Khomenko, Sasha
dc.contributor.author Pereira Barboza, Evelise
dc.contributor.author Cirach, Marta
dc.contributor.author Duarte Salles, Talita, 1985-
dc.contributor.author Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
dc.contributor.author Vrijheid, Martine
dc.contributor.author Mueller, Natalie, 1988-
dc.contributor.author Bont, Jeroen de
dc.date.accessioned 2025-01-15T07:28:35Z
dc.date.available 2025-01-15T07:28:35Z
dc.date.issued 2025
dc.description.abstract Background: The burden of childhood overweight and obesity attributable to ambient air pollution and a lack of urban green spaces (UGS) remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the attributable cases of childhood overweight and obesity due to air pollution and insufficient UGS exposure in Barcelona, Spain. Methods: We applied a quantitative health impact assessment approach. We collected childhood overweight and obesity prevalence levels and exposure data from 69 spatial basic health zones in Barcelona. We estimated particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels using land use regression models, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) levels using remote sensing and percentage of green area (%GA) using land use. We estimated relative risks, population attributable fractions, and preventable overweight/obesity cases in children under following scenarios: Compliance of World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines (AQGs) for (1) PM2.5 and (2) NO2; achieving (3) city-target NDVI levels and (4) 25% green area (%GA) recommendations. The analyses were stratified by socioeconomic deprivation index (in quintiles). Uncertainty was quantified using Monte Carlos simulations. Results: Compliance of WHO AQGs could prevent 0.4% [253 (95%CI, -604; 1086)] and 4.2% [3000 (95%CI, 1009; 4943)] of childhood overweight/obesity cases due to excess PM2.5 and NO2 levels in Barcelona, respectively. Compliance of NDVI and %GA targeted levels could prevent 6% [4094 (95%CI, 1698; 6379)] and 10% [6853 (95%CI, 1440; 12779)] of childhood overweight/obesity cases respectively. The preventable burdens of childhood overweight/obesity cases were slightly higher in middle-class socioeconomic areas due to the higher adverse exposure levels at baseline (high air pollution, less UGS). Discussion: Compliance with WHO AQGs and achieving UGS targets can reduce childhood overweight and obesity levels in Barcelona, and potentially in other locations as well. This underscores the need for policies that foster healthier urban environments of high environmental quality in order to protect child health.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier.citation Nguyen Thi Khanh H, Rigau-Sabadell M, Khomenko S, Pereira Barboza E, Cirach M, Duarte-Salles T, et al. Ambient air pollution, urban green space and childhood overweight and obesity: A health impact assessment for Barcelona, Spain. Environ Res. 2025 Jan 1;264(Pt 1):120306. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120306
dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120306
dc.identifier.issn 0013-9351
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/69131
dc.language.iso eng
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof Environ Res. 2025 Jan 1;264(Pt 1):120306
dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.keyword Ambient air pollution
dc.subject.keyword Childhood obesity
dc.subject.keyword Environmental health inequalities
dc.subject.keyword Health impact assessment
dc.subject.keyword Urban green spaces
dc.title Ambient air pollution, urban green space and childhood overweight and obesity: A health impact assessment for Barcelona, Spain
dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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Articles (Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida)
Articles (Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) – Campus Mar)