After increasing incredibly over past few decades, asthma rates in children in the US have been reducing, according to a study of data from 2001 to 2013. The rate of children below the age of 17 years suffering from asthma showed slight increase during the beginning of the study and eventually reduced to 8.3% by the end of the research. The study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics, revealed different rates depending upon age, race and region.

Though the specific reasons for the decline have not been figured out by the researchers, it is being speculated that a fall in air pollution and childhood obesity rates might be the probable reasons. During 1980 and 1995, asthma rates in kids increased two-fold as new methods of detecting the problem were developed and people became more aware.

Subsequently, the rate started alleviating and was recorded at 9.3% in 2010. During the recent years, the fall in asthma rate is highest in the children below the age of 5 years, as well as in those living in Mexico, the Midwest region and financially stable families. Rates declined in kids belonging to white families, and dwelling in the Northeast and West regions. However, an increase was noticed in asthma rates of children between the ages of 10 to 17, and also in those belonging to southern regions and financially weak families. The study was based on the data of 150,000 children.