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

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.