Modern Life Makes Children Sick

摘要

In the past 60 years, the prevalences of asthma and allergy among children has increased all around the world. Neither genetic nor outdoor environmental factors can explain this increase. We performed a cross-sectional study of 7366 children in Tianjin, China, on associations of home environment and life styles with asthma and allergy. The prevalences of diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema among 0-8 year-old children in the Tianjin area were 4%, 9% and 39%. For asthma and allergy, the population attributable fraction (PAF) due to modern floors and wall coverings (i.e. laminated wooden floors and painted walls compared to tile floors and lime-coated walls) was 23%. Window condensation in winter and air conditioner use in summer, which are proxies of less ventilation, accounted for 4%-18% of rhinitis and eczema. Caesarean delivery accounted for 8%-12% of rhinitis and eczema symptoms. We developed a modern life index from appropriate home characteristics and lifestyle and food consumption habits and found it to have a clear dose-response relationship with asthma and allergy in Tianjin children. It indicated that a "modern" home environment together with a modern lifestyle was associated with increased prevalence of asthma and allergies among children.