Early years exposure to greenspace and cleaner air beneficial for children’s BMI

According to a new study from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) air pollution, greenspace and built up environments directly influence the BMI of children. Using data from 80,000 children living in Catalonia the researchers found that exposure to air pollution, built up environments and greater population density during early life is associated with an increase in body mass index. By contrast, living in areas with greater greenspace and a more favourable land use including walkability, street connectivity, building types and services had the opposite effect.