Tree-Lined Streets Cut Asthma

In a recent study performed by Columbia University researchers, it was found that asthma rates among children age four and five fell by 25% for every extra 343 trees per square mile. Some asthma experts believe that when children are exposed to a lesser amount of microbes than normal that this increases their risk for asthma. This is believed because it is thought that when you are exposed to more microbes when you are little that your immune system gets more practice at fighting infection. The tree-lined street would therefore encourage children to play outside more often exposing them to more microbes present in the air. The link between asthma cases even held true after other sources of pollution were taken into account. This finding could possibly help to find a link between environmental causes of a life threatening condition. In New York City alone, asthma is the number one cause of admission to a hospital for children under 15. With this issue being this severe, its important that we continue to find the physiological interactions between our body and the environment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7374078.stm

-Cody Covington