The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom
Abstract Air pollution is associated with health in childhood. However, there is limited evidence on sensitive periods during the first 18 years of life. Data were drawn from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large and nationally representative cohort born in 2000/2002. Self-reported general health was...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| author | Gergő Baranyi Katie Harron Youchen Shen Kees de Hoogh Emla Fitzsimons |
| author_facet | Gergő Baranyi Katie Harron Youchen Shen Kees de Hoogh Emla Fitzsimons |
| author_sort | Gergő Baranyi |
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| description | Abstract Air pollution is associated with health in childhood. However, there is limited evidence on sensitive periods during the first 18 years of life. Data were drawn from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large and nationally representative cohort born in 2000/2002. Self-reported general health was assessed at age 17; number of hospital records were derived from linked health data (Hospital Episode Statistics) for consented participants. Residential history was linked to 25 × 25 m grid resolution annual PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 maps between 2000 and 2019; year-specific air pollution exposure in 200-m buffers around postcode centroids were computed. After adjusting for individual and time-variant area-level confounders, children exposed to higher air pollution in early (2–4 y) (n = 9137; PM2.5: OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.11; PM10: OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09; NO2: OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02) and middle childhood (5–7) (n = 9171; PM2.5: OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.07; PM10: OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06) reported worse general health at age 17. Higher PM2.5 and NO2 exposure in adolescence increased the number of hospital episodes in young adulthood. Individuals from non-White and disadvantaged backgrounds were exposed to higher levels of air pollution. Air pollution in early and middle childhood might contribute to worse general health, with ethnic minority and disadvantaged children being more exposed. |
| format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c92ed6ccb8cf4ccda22d68d20107fc9c2025-08-20T01:51:36ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-94107-wThe relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United KingdomGergő Baranyi0Katie Harron1Youchen Shen2Kees de Hoogh3Emla Fitzsimons4Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL Institute of Education, University College LondonPopulation, Policy and Practice Department, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College LondonInstitute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht UniversitySwiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteCentre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL Institute of Education, University College LondonAbstract Air pollution is associated with health in childhood. However, there is limited evidence on sensitive periods during the first 18 years of life. Data were drawn from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large and nationally representative cohort born in 2000/2002. Self-reported general health was assessed at age 17; number of hospital records were derived from linked health data (Hospital Episode Statistics) for consented participants. Residential history was linked to 25 × 25 m grid resolution annual PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 maps between 2000 and 2019; year-specific air pollution exposure in 200-m buffers around postcode centroids were computed. After adjusting for individual and time-variant area-level confounders, children exposed to higher air pollution in early (2–4 y) (n = 9137; PM2.5: OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.11; PM10: OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09; NO2: OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02) and middle childhood (5–7) (n = 9171; PM2.5: OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.07; PM10: OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06) reported worse general health at age 17. Higher PM2.5 and NO2 exposure in adolescence increased the number of hospital episodes in young adulthood. Individuals from non-White and disadvantaged backgrounds were exposed to higher levels of air pollution. Air pollution in early and middle childhood might contribute to worse general health, with ethnic minority and disadvantaged children being more exposed.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94107-wAir pollutionFine particleGeneral healthLife courseEnvironmental inequalityBirth cohort |
| spellingShingle | Gergő Baranyi Katie Harron Youchen Shen Kees de Hoogh Emla Fitzsimons The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom Scientific Reports Air pollution Fine particle General health Life course Environmental inequality Birth cohort |
| title | The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom |
| title_full | The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom |
| title_short | The relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the United Kingdom |
| title_sort | relationship between early life course air pollution exposure and general health in adolescence in the united kingdom |
| topic | Air pollution Fine particle General health Life course Environmental inequality Birth cohort |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94107-w |
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