An innovative study into the links between air pollution and vitamin D deficiency, and their impact on the respiratory health of children in east London, has received a £1.2 million grant from the National Institute for Health Research comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London. ERG staff are playing a leading role in the EXHALE programme, (Exploration of Health and Lungs in the Environment) along with colleagues in the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, and Barts and the London Medical School. The study focuses on East London, where 18 per cent of children have a diagnosis of asthma and where nearly 90 per cent of the population lacks adequate levels of vitamin D, especially in the winter months.

Children from Tower Hamlets attending schools located close to main roads will be studied to define the effects of traffic emission reduction, using comparative pollution and respiratory health data from before the introduction of the Low Emission Zone. Dr Ian Mudway who is leading the research on the primary school children over a four-year period, said: "We are focusing on children because damage done to their lungs by traffic pollution almost certainly persists, and makes lifelong lung problems. By measuring children's breathing and lung inflammation over several years and gathering genetic information, we will be able to establish links between respiratory health problems, pollution exposure and the role of genetic susceptibility".

Professor Kelly who heads ERG’s role in the study believes that the findings will help to inform government policies nationally and internationally as well as answer important questions about asthma. Professor Kelly said: "This project is hugely important for our local population. London has one of the worst traffic pollution problems in Europe and local children have very high rates of vitamin D deficiency. I am confident that this study will lead to real advances in the understanding of asthma and the clinical care we can deliver to asthma patients". We are extremely grateful to all the funders, including TfL, who are supporting this health intervention study around the LEZ initiative in London.

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Item date 18/02/2009