Shaping urban environments to improve respiratory health: recommendations for research, planning, and policy
Urban areas carry a large burden of acute (infectious) and chronic respiratory diseases due to environmental conditions such as high levels of air pollution and high population densities. Car-dominated cities often lack walkable areas, which reduces opportunities for physical activity that are fundamentally important for healthy lungs. The already restricted amount of green space available—with often poorly selected plants—could produce pollen and subsequently provoke or worsen allergic diseases.
