Toxic air, poverty, obesity: Health warning for London’s most deprived children

‘Tens of thousands of children from deprived areas of London are exposed to an array of health risks, including pollution and obesity.
According to a study investigating the correlation between social deprivation and air quality in the capital, pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are being worst affected by “unacceptable” levels of air pollution.
‘London’s Polluted Schools: the Social Context’ found that one in five of the schools most affected by pollution have pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
It also found that nine out of 10 of the schools affected had a higher rate of obesity compared to the average across London.
The research found that despite poor children being exposed to the worst pollution, the areas they frequent are the ones contributing the least to London’s pollution.
“Children from some of London’s most socially deprived areas are not only affected by unacceptable levels of air pollution around their schools, they also face compounding health risks,” Saul Billingsley, from the FIA Foundation, an international environmental and road safety charity which carried out the study, said.’
Read more: Toxic air, poverty, obesity: Health warning for London’s most deprived children