Exposure to Nature Could Reduce Asthma Risk

Asthma is a widespread disease that can cause permanent lung damage over time and, in severe cases, death. But new research shows that spending time outdoors could decrease the risk of developing this condition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 12 children in the US have asthma, equating to about 6 million children. Children with asthma are commonly treated with an inhaler, many times containing steroid medications.

Factors associated with an increased risk for developing asthma include exposure to antibiotics in prenatal and early life, tobacco smoke, air pollution, and mold. Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease the risk of developing asthma.

In a recent study, researchers in Finland evaluated the bacteria in 400 homes and found that certain groups of outdoor environmental bacteria (found in soil, fresh water, and compost) were associated with a reduced risk of asthma.

The study appears to reveal that exposure to microorganisms that balance our immune system, found outside in nature, can add to the biodiversity of our microbiome, which plays a fundamental role in immune reactivity. These factors also shed some light on why antibiotics, which are known to disrupt the balance of the microbiome, are associated with an increased risk for developing asthma.

Incorporating a daily practice of spending time outdoors in nature can be beneficial in lowering stress and inflammation and increasing our microbial exposure.  Lead author of the study, Dr. Anne M. Karvonen says, “We could explore nature with children more often and play in nature instead of urban playgrounds covered with rubber.”