Ella Kissi-Debrah became the first person in the UK to have air pollution as the cause of death on her death certificate in February 2013. Debrah died, according to a forensic analysis, of acute respiratory failure, severe asthma and exposure to air pollution, above World Health Organization guidelines. During the girl’s lifetime, nitrogen dioxide emissions in Lewisham, where she lived, exceeded legal limits.

Although there has been much discussion about the need to reduce pollution, the beneficial effects of improving air quality on the development of lung function have not been studied in depth. A study recently published in European Respiratory Journaldemonstrated that better air is directly linked to better lung function growth rates.

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The researchers followed a cohort of 1,509 children in Stockholm born between 1994 and 1996 until they all reached age 24, with lung function measurements collected at ages eight, 16, and 24 years, respectively. During those years, air quality (measured in PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles among others) decreased for most, though not all. The team found that reduced pollution was associated with higher lung function growth rates.

For example, the average forced expiratory volume growth rate in one second increases by 4.63 mL per year for every 2.19 μg/m3 decrease in PM2.5. Similar associations were also observed for the reduction of carbon black and nitrogen oxides. The scientists adjusted those measurements as people grew by evaluating conditions such as asthma, allergic sensitization, excess body weight, exposure to air pollution in the first years of life or intake of antioxidant foods, with no change in their results.

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“It’s a strong message to policy makers and developers that action to lower levels of air pollution and exposure will definitely pay off in the long term, for children and throughout life,” he said. “In the long term, gradual improvement in lung function will have a positive impact on the risk of developing chronic disease in adulthood, or even on life expectancy.”