High pollution linked to poor lung function growth in children
in Mexico City Children who are chronically exposed to higher
levels of air pollution show marked deficiencies in lung growth
and function, and not just short-term breathing problems,
according to researchers in Mexico. "Our study revealed
significant deficits in lung function growth in children with
long-term exposure to air pollutants,” wrote Isabelle Romieu,
M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study. "In addition to the
important impact of lung health, early lung deficits may
increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive lung disease
later in life, as well as cardiovascular morbidity and general
mortality. These conclusions are the result of a three-year,
multi-site prospective study that measured lung function growth
in 3,170 eight-year-old children at 39 schools in Mexico City
and analyzed it with respect to the children’s exposure to
common urban pollutants: ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and
particulate matter under 10 ÃŽm (PM10). D