Save Your Child’s Breath

By James Keough

Living near a highway has its conveniences as every commuter will attest, but a recent study published in The Lancet points out a major downside. Researchers from the University of Southern California monitored the lung capacity of 3,600 children in 12 central and Southern California cities from age 8 to 18 and found that those who lived within 500 yards of a freeway had significantly less lung power than those living at least 1,500 yards (almost a mile) away. The study found that ultrafine exhaust particles worked their way deep into the children’s lungs, causing damage to the small airways there. The researchers suggest that a loss of capacity and strength as a child will likely last throughout an individual’s life and could increase risk for lung disease.

Enter a comment related to this article

---