Allergies and Kids: Why Farms Are Better Than Cities

Have you ever wondered whether farms or cities are better for kids and allergies?

I found a new health information website I really like. It’s called, “fyi LIVING – Health Tips Backed by Research”. I like that the articles are based on research, and that each online article contains the links to the original research if you want to learn more.

Here’s one that caught my eye – “Why Farm Kids Don’t Have Allergies But City Kids Do.” The article describes how a study done in Munich showed that children who live in rural areas are 30 to 50 percent less likely to develop asthma or allergies than kids who live in the city. Wow!

And it’s not because city kids live in dirty homes – in fact, the problem is, their homes are too clean. The statement is based on a report that examines the results of two European studies that compared asthma and allergy rates in city versus rural-dwelling children.

One study focused on children’s bed mattresses and found that the country children’s mattresses had far more bacteria than the city children’s beds. The other study looked at dust found in the children’s bedroom. Once again, dust from farm kids’ room contained high loads of bacteria and fungus – much more than the city kids’ rooms.

But when it came to asthma and allergies, the opposite was true. City kids had way more allergies and were much more likely to be asthmatic compared to those who lived on farms.

The article said, “Based on these studies, researchers conclude that it’s beneficial to live in an environment that contains an assortment of “good germs,” microorganisms that help a child’s body develop resistance to allergies and asthma.

When my own children were little, their dad, who is a physician, used to explain why he would let our sons play in the dirt and get covered with various kinds of muck and mire, saying that he was just exposing them to a little “immunologic challenge”. Looks like he knew what he was talking about.

The article contains advice for young mothers about how to expose their own little ones to just the right amount of “immunologic challenge” – namely, make sure to give them lots of time outdoors.

Where do your kids play outdoors?

~Bethany