Wheeze it out

Sedentary lifestyles and sugary, fast food diets have resulted in major health problems that have rocketed in the UAE and the wider Middle East. Apart from heart disease and diabetes, it’s allergies and asthma that are on the rise especially amongst schoolchildren in the country.

According to Dr Ruby Pawankar, President of the World Allergy Organisation, “Scientific studies reveal that the varying situations and the behavioural patterns linked with the so called ‘Westernised’ lifestyle are responsible for the increase in the frequency of asthma attacks amongst the general population. For example, due to stepping up our hygiene and management of infectious diseases, it is hypothesised that even the smallest exposure to contagious agents during infancy can possibly lead to the development of asthma and allergies.”

Following up on a similar train of thought, some studies have shown that exposure to markers linked with contagious and infectious agents like endotoxins, farm animals and pets can lessen the possibility of such ailments. Dietary changes among people across the board, including in pregnant women and children, over the years, as an offshoot of surplus food, have also resulted in allergies to different substances.

“Even two decades ago, we did not have such an enormous number of allergies and health problems. Today’s youngsters, especially children, are allergic to something or the other, if in one household you hear about an allergy to peanuts, elsewhere you are told the child is allergic to milk and can only have soya milk, I remember as kids we never used to have a care in the world about allergies of any sort, and simply ate and drank what we liked,” says Jwala Krishnan, a sales manager in her late thirties.

The UAE National Strategy & Action Plan for Environmental Health 2010 which was developed by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, has recommended that the country must aim to reduce pollutant levels and human exposure to pollutants, improve data quantity and availability, improve scientific understanding of environmental risks, build sustainable human and institutional capacity, support urban development that promotes environmental health and improve environmental awareness.

Dr Bassam Mahboub, Assistant Professor at Sharjah University and Head of Allergy & Respiratory Medicine at Dubai Hospital, avers that “While we don’t as yet have airborne allergies studies done in the right way, the prevalence (of asthma and allergic rhinitis) is high. People who sniff and sneeze daily usually ‘live with it’ and don’t think it’s a disease until they get sinusitis or asthma.”

Health and environment studies have found that indoor air pollutants, basically indoor allergens, like mould spores, dust-mite allergens, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, indoor generated particles and carbon monoxide can influence the respiratory system and can cause or aggravate the symptoms of asthma.

Similarly, long-term exposure to combustion related fine particulate air pollution is another significant environmental risk factor for respiratory diseases like asthma. Apart from adopting a healithier lifestyle Dr Mahboub also suggests that regular cleaning of A/C ducts and filters need to be undertaken, before the pollen season which is summer. Besides cleaning ducts and filters, he also recommends removing allergens from the air, as cleaning alone does not effectively kill germs and microbes.

Mihir Patel, CEO of Amancorp, regional distributors for Airfree, a European air purifier brand, points out that, “Air purifiers are a dime a dozen in the market, but when you choose one, make sure that it helps to remove dust-mite allergens, pet dander, pollen, mould and mildew spores. An air purifier is a household essential just like having an air conditioner or a washing machine.”

According to Joel Mayor, general manager of Saniservice, a Swiss disinfection and cleaning service company, which was also the first to be accredited by the Dubai Municipality, two things motivated Saniservice to launch its unique concept of disinfection — the lack of maintenance and service in Dubai and the awareness of the very poor indoor air quality keeping people in continuous discomfort. “We chose a medical grade bio-sanitiser with similar strength as an existing disinfectant product, but without its harmful side-effects. Not only is it eco-friendly, but ‘human-friendly’ as well,” says Mayor.

“People do recognise that they cannot live anymore in such badly maintained properties. The ducts and filters are often the tip of the iceberg, albeit being a major part of the problem; we have though, a much greater concern for the Fan Coil Unit (FCU) which is the heart of the system, where the fungi and bacteria breed freely and invade the bedrooms and living spaces.” He adds that once AC filters and ducts had been thoroughly cleaned, they need to be re-serviced only in 18 to 24 months.

Stressing the need to keep interiors well-ventilated as a matter of course, Mayor points out that insulated space are a veritable breeding ground for allergies, and lead to a complete deterioration of the indoor air quality. “Remember you are what you breathe, so choose to be responsible about your A/C units and living spaces,” he says.