Ambient air pollution and Children's health: An umbrella review

The amount of data that is currently accessible on ambient air pollution and children's health has significantly increased. Although numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have evaluated the effect of air pollution on children's health, the results are mixed, including positive, negative, or null associations. The objective of this umbrella review is to thoroughly evaluate the validity of existing research on the connection between air pollution and children's health. We identified 33 systematic reviews of observational studies in which a diversity of health outcomes for children were reviewed, including mortality, respiratory diseases, hypertension, etc. According to our review's findings, being exposed to air pollution increases the chance of developing leukemia among children, as well as autism spectrum disorders, hypertension, otitis media, obesity, pneumonia, asthma, respiratory diseases, eczema, and allergic rhinitis. Additionally, there was a sizable positive association between air pollution and child mortality. The findings of this extensive umbrella review provide convincing proof that exposing children to air pollution increases the risk of developing multiple diseases. Our results have implications for strengthening childhood health care, reducing air pollution, and improving intergenerational equity.