A new UK study reveals that air pollution is impeding the lung development of children, with effects lasting into early adulthood. Researchers from the University of Leicester tracked the lung function of over 5,000 individuals born in and around Bristol in the 1990s, assessing their health from birth and testing their lungs at ages 8, 15, and 24, when lung function typically peaks.
Key Findings
Lead author Professor Ann Hansell stated: 'Much of the evidence on health effects of air pollution relates to adults or pregnancy, but we think it's highly plausible it has impacts on growth and development of children.' The study found that higher exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood slowed lung growth, with the most significant impact during adolescence, a critical period for lung development.
Long-Term Health Risks
'Those whose lungs didn't grow to maximum potential in childhood may be more vulnerable to respiratory diseases later in life because they have a lower reserve,' Hansell added. 'They are also more vulnerable to poorer health generally. For instance, low lung function in adults is associated with the same level of risk of heart disease as having high cholesterol.'
Methodology
Dr. Katie Eminson, first author of the study, explained: 'Lung function was measured using spirometry by trained technicians. Participants were asked to take a deep breath in, then blow out as hard and as fast as possible into a mouthpiece. A machine measured both the amount of air they can breathe out and the speed of that breath, providing an indication of how well their lungs are working.'
The researchers calculated air pollution exposure during each trimester of pregnancy and for each year of early childhood, including particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, a gas primarily from diesel cars and fossil gas boilers. They controlled for factors like premature birth, breastfeeding, parental smoking, and home dampness.
Context and Implications
A prior study in east London found that air pollution reduced children's lung growth, with average lung volumes 90-100 millilitres smaller than expected. Conversely, Swedish studies showed lung growth improved when air quality increased. The Bristol children's lung growth may have partially recovered due to pollution reductions.
Eminson concluded: 'While the effects in individual children are small and unlikely to have immediate clinical consequences, they shouldn't be dismissed. Because lung function tends to track from childhood into adulthood, small differences early in life may have implications for long-term health. This reinforces the importance of reducing exposures and protecting children's environments.'
