NEW YORK – It turns out that children who live in well-treed neighborhoods have less asthma, according to a new study out of Columbia University.

Research looking specifically at the link between trees and asthma has been rare. However, increasing asthma rates especially in inner cities and urban environments have led researchers to explore this question.

Theories on why the presence of trees would have any effect on asthma revolve around suggestions that trees may actually cleanse the air, as well as encourage outdoor play. Outdoor activity rates are a contributing factor to improved health in children. However, trees also pollinate, and pollen can be a key trigger for asthma. So, is the presence of trees an overall positive or negative?

Researchers looked at asthma rates among children ages 4 to 5 for the year 1999 in a number of neighborhoods in New York city. Density of trees in these study areas were based on the 1995 US Census data.

The results indicate that even when researchers controlled for economic factors and nearby pollution sources, a higher density of trees correlated with lower asthma rates. For as little as an additional 1.5 trees per acre, asthma rates decreased by almost 30 per cent.

Researcher Gina Lovasi reasserted the hypothesis that trees have a beneficial effect on air quality. However, additional study will be required to determine whether the trees themselves are truly improving air quality or if they are simply an indicator of an overall healthier environment.

There are many potential implications if this research holds up to further study. As an urban improvement project, adding trees could be a simple way for community health organizations to address the quality of life for asthma patients in the inner city, without ever having to prescribe a single steroid or drug treatment. The benefits would also extend far beyond the asthma patient to the quality of life for all residents in the area.

Source: Natural News