B3099 - Lung function growth and residential greenness in the ALSPAC cohort - 19/04/2018

B number: 
B3099
Principal applicant name: 
Elaine Fuertes | Imperial College London (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Dr. Debbie Jarvis, Dr. John Henderson, Dr. Osama Mahmoud
Title of project: 
Lung function growth and residential greenness in the ALSPAC cohort
Proposal summary: 

There is increasing evidence that residential greenspaces (proximity to and amount of green spaces and vegetation around a person's home) may be associated with various health outcomes, including increased physical activity levels and respiratory health outcomes, such as asthma. As lung function is associated with both physical activity and asthma, it could thus also be associated with greenspaces. However, to date, no study has examined whether an association between residential greenspaces and lung function exists in children, and what potential pathways may be playing an important role. Using the ALSPAC data, this study aims to fill this research gap.

Impact of research: 
Assuming that our hypothesis is true, this study will be the first to report positive associations between higher residential greenspace and lung function growth in children. This work thus has the potential to contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting that surrounding greenspaces positively affect health. Of particular interest will be whether we can identify potential mechanisms that may be driving any observed link between greenspaces and lung function growth (either via physical activity, asthma, or air pollution).
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 16 April, 2018
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Respiratory - asthma, Statistical methods, Development, Environment - enviromental exposure, pollution, Physical - activity, fitness, function, Sex differences