Improvements in air quality in the Netherlands during the corona lockdown based on observations and model simulations.

The lockdown measures in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak in 2020 have resulted in reductions in emissions of air pollutants and corresponding ambient concentrations. In the Netherlands, the most stringent lockdown measures were in effect from March to May 2020. These measures coincided with a period of unusual meteorological conditions with wind from the north-east and clear-sky conditions, which complicates the quantification of the effect of the lockdown measures on the air quality.

Public health impacts of city policies to reduce climate change: findings from the URGENCHE EU-China project.

Background: Climate change is a global threat to health and wellbeing. Here we provide findings of an international research project investigating the health and wellbeing impacts of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in urban environments.

Methods: Five European and two Chinese city authorities and partner academic organisations formed the project consortium.

High resolution exposure modelling of heat and air pollution and the impact on mortality.

Background: Elevated temperature and air pollution have been associated with increased mortality. Exposure to heat and air pollution, as well as the density of vulnerable groups varies within cities. The objective was to investigate the extent of neighbourhood differences in mortality risk due to heat and air pollution in a city with a temperate maritime climate.

Serum Visfatin and Leptin in Relation to Childhood Adiposity and Body Fat Distribution: The PIAMA Birth Cohort Study.

Background/aims: Visfatin has been suggested as a marker of visceral adiposity. We hypothesized that visfatin, but not leptin, would be specifically associated with visceral adiposity. We investigated the relation of serum visfatin and leptin with measures of adiposity and body fat distribution in children.

High-resolution modeling of residential outdoor particulate levels in Sweden.

Large-scale exposure assessments that include both between- and within-city differences in air pollution levels are lacking. The objective of this study was to model long-term particle exposure for the whole of Sweden, separating long-range transport from local sources, which were further separated into combustion and road dust. Annual regional, urban and local traffic PM exposure contributions were modeled for 26,000 addresses from a national survey, using a European scale model, an urban model and a local traffic model.

Fine and coarse particulate air pollution in relation to respiratory health in Sweden.

Health effects have repeatedly been associated with residential levels of air pollution. However, it is difficult to disentangle effects of long-term exposure to locally generated and long-range transported pollutants, as well as to exhaust emissions and wear particles from road traffic. We aimed to investigate effects of exposure to particulate matter fractions on respiratory health in the Swedish adult population, using an integrated assessment of sources at different geographical scales.

Traffic noise and cardiovascular health in Sweden: the roadside study.

Long-term exposure to traffic noise has been suggested to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, few studies have been performed in the general population and on railway noise. This study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular effects of living near noisy roads and railways.

BMI development of normal weight and overweight children in the PIAMA study.

Background: There is evidence that rapid weight gain during the first year of life is associated with overweight later in life. However, results from studies exploring other critical periods for the development of overweight are inconsistent.

Objective: The objective was to investigate BMI development to assess at what ages essential differences between normal weight and overweight children occur, and to assess which age intervals the most strongly influence the risk of overweight at 8 years of age.

PM10, and children's respiratory symptoms and lung function in the PATY study.

Studies of the impact of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution on the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function in children have yielded mixed results, partly related to differences in study design, exposure assessment, confounder selection and data analysis. We assembled respiratory health and exposure data for >45,000 children from comparable cross-sectional studies in 12 countries. 11 respiratory symptoms were selected, for which comparable questions were asked.

Maternal food consumption during pregnancy and the longitudinal development of childhood asthma.

Rationale: Maternal diet during pregnancy has the potential to affect airway development and to promote T-helper-2-cell responses during fetal life. This might increase the risk of developing childhood asthma or allergy.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of maternal food consumption during pregnancy on childhood asthma outcomes from 1 to 8 years of age.