{"id":1381,"date":"2026-08-19T00:58:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T00:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/scientists-stunned-by-childrens-lung-recovery-in-ultra-low-emission-zone\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T00:58:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T00:58:31","slug":"scientists-stunned-by-childrens-lung-recovery-in-ultra-low-emission-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/scientists-stunned-by-childrens-lung-recovery-in-ultra-low-emission-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists stunned by children’s lung recovery in ultra low emission zone"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Scientists<\/figure>\n
\"Scientists<\/figure>\n
\"Scientists<\/figure>\n

Researchers have expressed astonishment at the rapid improvement in young children’s lung health following the introduction of a major clean air initiative in London. The study, which tracked over 3,400 primary school children in London and Luton, provides compelling evidence that local clean air zones can reverse some of the harmful effects of air pollution on developing lungs.<\/p>\n

A Surprising Turnaround in Lung Health<\/h2>\n

Air pollution is known to stunt lung growth in children, increasing their risk of asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and even premature death. Children are particularly vulnerable because their lungs and immune systems are still developing, and their proximity to the ground puts them closer to exhaust fumes. The new findings, published in the Lancet Public Health, suggest that these effects are not permanent.<\/p>\n

In the study, researchers recruited children aged six to nine attending schools within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez). They followed the same children for five years, comparing them to a similar group in Luton, a town with comparable pollution sources but lower overall levels. Annual lung function tests were conducted in the year before Ulez was implemented and for four years after.<\/p>\n

Initial Results and the ‘Catch-Up’ Effect<\/h3>\n

At the start, children in London had smaller lung capacities than those in Luton. However, by the end of the study, lung capacity in the London group had reached near-identical levels to the Luton group. The researchers noted that the London children’s lung growth accelerated during the four years, allowing them to ‘catch up’ with their counterparts.<\/p>\n

Prof Chris Griffiths, a senior author of the study from Queen Mary University of London, said, “I was absolutely stunned when I first saw the results. The speed of catch up in lung capacity in the London group was surprising and impressive. This shows an ambitious clean air zone can drive pollution levels down, rapidly restoring children’s stunted lung growth.”<\/p>\n

What the Lung Tests Revealed<\/h2>\n

The primary test measured how much air a child could forcibly exhale in one second after a deep breath. In practical terms, the improvements meant children in London could run as fast as those in Luton without getting out of breath, or blow out the same number of candles on a birthday cake. A secondary test also showed significant improvements, though not to the same extent, indicating there is still room for progress.<\/p>\n

The proportion of London children with ‘clinically impaired’ lung capacity\u2014suggesting damage that leads to coughs or breathlessness\u2014fell from 14% to 9%. In Luton, where smaller-scale measures were implemented, the figure dropped from 9% to 7%.<\/p>\n

Nitrogen Dioxide Levels Dropped Faster in London<\/h3>\n

The team also measured the levels of nitrogen dioxide, a harmful gas from motor vehicles, that children were exposed to. These levels fell faster in London than in Luton over the study period. The researchers say this is key, as it likely demonstrates that the improved lung growth was directly related to the air quality improvements following Ulez.<\/p>\n

Background on the Ultra Low Emission Zone<\/h2>\n

London’s Ulez was first introduced in 2019 by Mayor Sadiq Khan to ‘clean up London’s air’, which had high levels of nitrogen dioxide. Older, more polluting vehicles were required to pay a daily charge to drive in central London. The measures were later expanded to cover the entire capital. While many supported the policy, it also provoked political opposition and protests.<\/p>\n

Expert Reactions and Considerations<\/h2>\n

Prof Anna Hansell, from the University of Leicester, who was not involved in the study, said the improved lung function in children was “likely to have lifelong benefits for their health.” She praised the study as “carefully conducted” and noted that the geographical comparison between London and Luton was important, given general reductions in air pollution over time.<\/p>\n

“This proved particularly useful, given that the study period included the Covid-19 pandemic \u2013 and demonstrates the findings in London are not due to changes related to the pandemic,” she added.<\/p>\n

However, independent experts urge caution. Kevin McConway, emeritus professor at the Open University, highlighted the need to consider the full impact of Covid and suggested that studying other cities could help rule out unmeasured differences between London and Luton.<\/p>\n

No Room for Complacency<\/h3>\n

Lead author Dr Helen Wood, also at Queen Mary University of London, emphasized that while the results are promising, there is no room for complacency. “Air pollution in both London and Luton \u2013 as well as other cities across the UK \u2013 remains above WHO guideline levels, so there is still work to be done.”<\/p>\n

Prof Griffiths added, “We know clean air zones are a complex area and the impact on businesses and individuals must be considered. What we are doing is adding new evidence to inform the debate. There are more than a billion kids living in cities around the world, most of them in polluted environments, getting a really bad start in life. That’s why these are important findings with global relevance.”<\/p>\n

Broader Implications for Child Health<\/h2>\n

The study, involving researchers from the Universities of Bedfordshire, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Southern California, adds to a growing body of evidence that clean air policies can have immediate, measurable benefits. The case of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a nine-year-old who died from an asthma attack in 2013 and became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death, underscores the severity of the issue.<\/p>\n

These findings offer hope that with ambitious policies, the damage caused by air pollution to children’s lungs can be at least partially reversed, leading to healthier futures for millions of children worldwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers have expressed astonishment at the rapid improvement in young children’s lung health following the introduction of a major clean air initiative in London. The study, which tracked over 3,400 primary school children in London and Luton, provides compelling evidence that local clean air zones can reverse some of the harmful effects of air pollution…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1381\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myhealtho.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}