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The association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China

International Journal of Biometeorology volume 59, pages 791–798 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China. We recruited 315 children (8–12 years) from Baotou, China in the spring of 2004, 2005, and 2006. They performed three successive forced expiratory measurements three times daily (morning, noon, and evening) for about 5 weeks. The highest peak expiratory flow (PEF) was recorded for each session. Daily data on ambient temperature, relative humidity, and air pollution were monitored during the same period. Mixed models with a distributed lag structure were used to examine the effects of temperature on lung function while adjusting for individual characteristics and environmental factors. Low temperatures were significantly associated with decreases in PEF. The effects lasted for lag 0–2 days. For all participants, the cumulative effect estimates (lag 0–2 days) were −1.44 (−1.93, −0.94) L/min, −1.39 (−1.92, −0.86) L/min, −1.40 (−1.97, −0.82) L/min, and −1.28 (−1.69, −0.88) L/min for morning, noon, evening, and daily mean PEF, respectively, associated with 1 °C decrease in daily mean temperature. Generally, the effects of temperature were slightly stronger in boys than in girls for noon, evening, and daily mean PEF, while the effects were stronger in girls for morning PEF. PM2.5 had joint effects with temperature on children’s PEF. Higher PM2.5 increased the impacts of low temperature. Low ambient temperatures are associated with lower lung function in children in Baotou, China. Preventive health policies will be required for protecting children from the cold weather.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Korea (2004–2008); National Natural Science Foundation of China (#81273033); and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health (#QXJK201305). Shanshan Li was supported by the University of Queensland Graduate School International Travel Award.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Affiliations

  1. School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Brisbane, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia

    Shanshan Li, Yuming Guo, Gail Williams & Peter Baker

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Meteorology and Health, Shanghai, China

    Xiaofang Ye

  3. School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Lina Madaniyazi

  4. National Institute of Environmental Research, Seoul, South Korea

    Dae-Seon Kim

  5. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China

    Xiaochuan Pan

Authors
  1. Shanshan Li
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  2. Yuming Guo
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  3. Gail Williams
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  4. Peter Baker
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  5. Xiaofang Ye
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  6. Lina Madaniyazi
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  7. Dae-Seon Kim
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  8. Xiaochuan Pan
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Correspondence to Shanshan Li or Xiaochuan Pan.

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Li, S., Guo, Y., Williams, G. et al. The association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China. Int J Biometeorol 59, 791–798 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0897-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0897-2

Keywords

  • Children
  • Lung function
  • Panel study
  • Temperature