A sharp rise in asthma-related doctor visits across England this year has renewed pressure on government leaders to address worsening air pollution.
Andrew Gregory reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Family doctors in England recorded 45,458 asthma-related visits from January to June 2025 — a 45% jump from the same period in 2024.
- The Royal College of Physicians reports that 99% of the UK population is breathing toxic air, contributing to 500 deaths each week and costing £27 billion annually.
- Health professionals, including pediatricians, are calling on the government to expand clean air zones and prioritize pollution control in deprived communities.
Key quote:
“These attacks are distressing, serious, and life threatening, but they are also preventable.”
— Prof Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Why this matters:
Mounting scientific evidence links air pollution to asthma, heart disease, strokes, and even developmental problems in children. Fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, mainly from vehicles and fossil fuel combustion, penetrate deep into lungs and cross into the bloodstream. Children are especially vulnerable because they breathe faster and have developing lungs. In economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, exposure is often higher, compounding health inequities. The rising tide of preventable respiratory illness adds pressure to health systems already strained by aging populations and chronic disease. The trend also calls attention to the environmental cost of urban planning and transportation systems built without public health in mind.
Related: Dieselgate-linked vehicle pollution blamed for thousands of UK deaths and child asthma cases
