Research in Ghana suggests that improved living conditions could lead to a rise in asthma and allergies.

Western countries have seen a leap in asthma and allergies over the past century, though they remain rare in poorer parts of the world. There are concerns, though, that much-needed economic development might, as an unintended consequence, lead to a surge in their prevalence.

Results of two surveys, carried out in 1993 and 2003, of children attending three schools (a rich city school, a poor city school and a nearby rural school) in Ghana's second largest city, Kumasi, suggest this may be the case.

In both surveys, researchers tested for exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) – constriction of the lung airways brought on by exercise – by measuring the children's breathing rates before and after a six-minute run. The children's skin was also tested for allergic responses to extracts from dust mites and cat and dog hair.

The prevalence of both EIB and skin sensitisation approximately doubled over the ten-year period – and both were more prevalent in children from the rich city school. These changes are probably linked to the adoption of Westernised lifestyles.

The findings highlight the need for policy makers to anticipate the rising impact of asthma likely to follow urbanisation and economic development.

External links

• Addo-Yobo EO et al. Exercise-induced bronchospasm and atopy in Ghana: two surveys ten years apart. PLoS Med 2007;4(2):e70.