WHO says air pollution kills 600,000 children each year

GENEVA (Reuters) – Air pollution kills around 600,000 children each year and causes symptoms ranging from loss of intelligence to obesity and ear infections, but parents can do little, said Monday a report from the World Health Organization.

Parents should try to avoid domestic air pollution by using less polluting fuels for cooking and heating and not smoke but to reduce children's exposure to environmental pollution they should put pressure on politicians to clean up the environment, said experts from the WHO.

"Polluted air poisons millions of children and ruins their lives," said the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement. Large areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America are among the most affected.

"It's inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and flourish fully. "

The WHO report "Prescribing clean air" summarizes the latest scientific knowledge about the effects of air pollution on children, which affects approximately 93% of children worldwide.

Maria Neira, WHO's Chief of Environmental Health Determinants, said the disturbing results highlighted in the study, including pollution causing stillbirths and prematurity, as well as adulthood, should lead to policy changes on a global scale.

"The problem of neuro-development is also crucial," she said.

"Imagine that our children will have less cognitive IQ. We are talking about jeopardizing a new generation of reduced IQs. This is not only new but terribly shocking. "

There was clear and consistent evidence of association between ambient air pollution and otitis media, or ear infections, the study said, as well as some evidence of its cause of obesity and insulin resistance in children.

Air pollution can also cause childhood cancer, asthma, poor lung function, pneumonia and other types of acute lower respiratory infection, the report said .