Tell me about the study.
Researchers tracked the health data of 1,271,730 children—initially examined at age 10— in Taiwan from 2010-2018, and followed for at least one year.
They also measured each child’s fitness via a nationwide physical fitness test that measured aerobic capacity, muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility. (via)
What did they find?
Those children with more physical fitness were less likely to develop allergic conjunctivitis.
Conversely, children with an increased risk were more likely to be overweight, have greater exposure to air pollution, live in densely populated urban areas, and have a history of asthma or allergic rhinitis.
Expert thoughts?
Researchers noted that the results support prior studies suggesting a connection between allergic conjunctivitis and pollution levels.
Take home.
Study authors concluded that the increasing prevalence of allergies is a major global public health concern. Further, though allergic conjunctivitis symptoms are typically mild, they can have a chronic course with multiple recurring episodes—and have a negative impact on children’s school performance and overall quality of life.