Children in Baltimore Twice as Likely to Suffer from Asthma
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Children in Baltimore are twice as likely as those in the rest of the country to suffer from asthma. A childhood asthma study will be conducted over the next 4 years.
Growing up in Baltimore is hard on kids. The City says they're exposed to more violence than most kids. Food deserts have lead to one in three children being obese. And three times as many kids suffer from lead poisoning.
Some of those factors have led to twice the number of cases of childhood asthma developing in the City.
"They all tie together," said Ruth Ann Norton.
For 30 years, Norton has been getting the lead out of homes in the city and more recently battling childhood asthma.
Those two battles combined at city hall. The mayor announced the EPA is investing $6 million to study childhood asthma here.
So, living in an urban area, childhood obesity, and asthma are all linked. Hopkins is going to use this money to try to figure out what changes need to be made so kids can be healthier.
"This will help to further cement what we know works but also refine better ways to get into the homes and communities to get our kids healthy before they get sick," said Norton.
"That's what this grant today will do, connect the dots to keep out kids healthier," said Senator Ben Cardin.
"It allows us to go inside homes and make the measurements and at the end of the day it also supports the community outreach which allows us to go and provide the education to reach the children for it to make a difference," said Dr. Nadia Hansel of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
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