Climate change 'affecting the public's health'

Recent environmental analysis has suggested that climate change could be affecting people's health.

According to research by George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication, changes in the environment could have a direct link to poor health.

The findings, published in BMC Public Health, revealed that problems such as asthma, allergies and infectious diseases are aggravated by the current climate, compared with previous years.

Director of the study Edward Maibach said: "Redefining climate change in public health terms should help people make connection to already familiar problems."

He added that knowing this information could give scientists an opportunity to provide a "better, healthier future" for the public, as well as averting an "environmental disaster", as this will help people make behavioral changes to slow down climate change.

The London air quality strategy confirmed these findings, after it recently revealed that 4,300 deaths a year in the capital are caused by poor air quality alone.

Posted by Claire Manning