Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)

Since mid-October, northern China has reported an increase in influenza-like illness compared to the same period in the previous three years. On 21 November, the media and the ProMED system reported outbreaks of pneumonia of undiagnosed cause in children in northern China. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is unclear whether these are related to the overall increase in respiratory infections previously reported by the Chinese authorities or are separate episodes. In a statement, the WHO has officially requested detailed information from China on this increase in respiratory illnesses and outbreaks of childhood pneumonia.

A health impact study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) concludes that implementing green axes throughout the city of Barcelona would lead to a "considerable reduction" in the mental health problems suffered by the adult population and in the direct and indirect costs associated with them. The study is published in the journal Environment International.

According to estimates by the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN-IGME) published by UNICEF, in 2021 some 5 million children died before their fifth birthday, and another 2.1 million children and young people did it between the ages of 5 and 24. Additionally, 1.9 million babies were stillborn during the same period.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has condemned Spain for failing to take the necessary measures to prevent continued non-compliance with air pollution limits in Madrid and the metropolitan area of Barcelona between 2010 and 2018. It also includes Baix Llobregat between 2010 and 2017.

Research involving 10,775 adults shows that a higher percentage of daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods was associated with cognitive impairment. The results are published in the journal JAMA Neurology.

Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has modelled the impact of ultra-processed food consumption on premature and preventable deaths in Brazil in 2019. According to the research, increased intake of these foods was associated with more than 10% of premature deaths in Brazil in 2019, representing about 57,000 deaths.

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open examines whether there is an association between newborn exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and impaired neurodevelopment compared to those born before the pandemic. Neurodevelopment in the first year of life was not modified by being born or growing up during the covid-19 pandemic or by gestational exposure to SARS-CoV-2. However, the authors appreciated that, regardless of whether maternal infection was present, the pandemic was associated with a risk of delayed communication in these infants.

Today the European Commission proposed revising the air and water quality directives in line with World Health Organisation recommendations. These would include more than halving the annual limit value for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5).

A study published in the journal PLOS ONE has found an association between paracetamol consumption during pregnancy and attention and sleep problems in these children at three years of age.

Using images taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, a team of researchers has designed a map showing the variation in the spectral composition of artificial lighting across Europe during 2012-2013 and 2014-2020. The results, published in the journal Science Advances, show a change associated with white LED lights and higher blue emissions, which the authors link to an increased risk of harmful effects on ecosystems.