New study shows that exposure to road emissions increases risk of children developing asthma
Possibility of developing asthma from exposure to pollutants at home or at school is equivalent.
A study done at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California shows that exposure to higher levels of traffic-related pollution at home and at school are both equally potent causes in contributing to the development of asthma in children.
Even though children spend less time at school than at home, exercise and other activites may lead to increased levels of toxins and other pollutants entering their lungs.”Traffic polluant levels maybe also be considerably higher during the morning hours when children are arriving at school,” explains the study.
Over a three year period, 120 new cases of asthma were reported out of the 2,497 children that took part in the study.
Study results state, “Asthma risk increased with modeled traffic-related pollution exposure from roadways near homes. Ambient NO2 measured at a central site in each community was also associated with increased risk… These results strengthen an emerging body of evidence from both toxicological and epidemiological studies that air pollutants from nearby traffic contribute to the development of asthma.”
Read the full story here.
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