Asthma in young people in France: a worrying increase and multiple causes
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Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents. In France, it affects several million people and often begins in childhood. Since the early 2000s, public health data show that the prevalence of asthma in young people has increased, before remaining at a high level until today.
This evolution is explained by a combination of environmental factors and lifestyle changes. Among them, air quality – both outdoor and indoor – plays a central role.
1) Evolution of asthma in young people since the 2000s
National school-based surveys conducted by Santé publique France show that between the early 2000s and the end of that decade, the prevalence of asthma in children and adolescents increased.
- In CM2 (2007–2008), about 14% of students reported having had an asthma attack in their lifetime.
- In troisième (2008–2009), this proportion reached 16%.
These levels are higher than those observed in previous waves, with an increase of about 2 points depending on age. Recent respiratory symptoms (wheezing, nocturnal cough, shortness of breath) followed the same trend.
In younger children, a comparison between 2005–2006 and 2012–2013 also shows an increase in the prevalence of "lifetime" asthma, reaching about 11% in 2012–2013.
Since the mid-2010s, even if comparable prevalence surveys are rarer, available indicators show that asthma remains very common in young people, confirming that it is an ongoing public health problem.
2) A multifactorial disease: the key role of environmental exposures
Inserm reminds that asthma is a multifactorial disease, resulting from the interaction between individual predisposition (genetics, allergic background) and repeated environmental exposures.
Among these exposures, some have been well known for a long time (outdoor pollution, allergens), but others, particularly related to indoor air, have long been underestimated.
3) Indoor air: a central factor from an early age
An environment breathed daily
Children spend more than 80% of their time in enclosed spaces: home, school, daycare. This exposure is daily, prolonged, and begins in early childhood.
Indoor air can contain a mixture of pollutants from:
- building materials and furniture,
- cleaning products and air fresheners,
- certain combustions (cooking, heating),
- humidity and mold.
Among these pollutants, formaldehyde holds a particular place.
4) Formaldehyde: a major indoor pollutant for the respiratory tract
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound widely found in homes. It is emitted notably by:
- certain wood panels and furniture,
- glues, resins and coatings,
- textiles, household products and everyday objects.
French and international health agencies agree on several points:
- formaldehyde is a respiratory irritant;
- exposure can cause or worsen respiratory symptoms (cough, irritation, bronchial discomfort);
- in asthmatic or sensitive children, it can promote the aggravation of asthma and the occurrence of attacks.
Anses reminds that formaldehyde is frequently measured in the indoor air of French homes, and that exceedances of reference health values are observed in a fraction of homes.
👉 Key point:
Formaldehyde is not presented as the sole cause of asthma, but as an irritating environmental factor, likely to contribute to the onset or worsening of respiratory symptoms in chronically exposed children.
5) Humidity, mold and other indoor irritants
In addition to chemical pollutants, the World Health Organization highlights a strong link between excessive humidity, mold and respiratory diseases, including asthma in children.
These situations, favored by insufficient ventilation or insulation problems, have remained frequent in French housing since the 2000s.
Other indoor pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide from certain domestic combustions, can also play an irritating role.
6) Outdoor air pollution and allergens: complementary factors
Outdoor air pollution (fine particles, nitrogen dioxide), particularly related to road traffic, has long been recognized as an aggravating factor for respiratory diseases.
Furthermore, childhood asthma is often associated with an allergic component. Exposure to dust mites, pollen, and pet allergens contributes to the persistence of symptoms, especially in poorly ventilated environments.
7) Why acting on indoor air makes sense today
While outdoor air remains a major collective issue, indoor air is an immediate and concrete lever for action:
- control of humidity and its consequences (mold),
- improvement of ventilation,
- reduction of pollutant sources,
- limitation of exposure to irritating substances such as formaldehyde.
Reducing these exposures never replaces medical follow-up for asthma, but is fully in line with a logic of prevention and reduction of triggers, particularly relevant in children.
Conclusion
Since the early 2000s, asthma in young people in France has seen a documented increase, followed by a persistently high level. This evolution results from a set of environmental factors, among which indoor air quality, and in particular exposure to irritating pollutants such as formaldehyde, plays an important role.
Acting on indoor air means acting on a daily, measurable and avoidable factor, at the heart of modern respiratory prevention.
Bibliographical references
- Santé publique France. Evolution of asthma prevalence in children in France: national school surveys (2003–2008). BEH, 2014.
- Santé publique France. Increase in asthma prevalence in young children in France between 2005–2006 and 2012–2013.
- Inserm. Asthma Dossier (updated 2023).
- World Health Organization (WHO). Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould, 2009.
- Anses. Health values and data on formaldehyde in indoor air.
- OQEI / CSTB. National campaigns on indoor air quality in French homes.