In the (O)Zone Asthma, the most common chronic childhood
disease, is on the rise due to factors such as a poor diet,
infections, allergens, and air pollution. Competitive athletes
sometimes have a higher prevalence of asthma than others,
possibly because of breathing in more pollutants. Are children
involved in outdoor team sports in highly polluted areas at an
increased risk for asthma? Nine- to 16-year-old children in 12
communities in southern California with varying levels of
pollution (six with high ozone levels, six with low ozone
levels) were selected for a study in a recent issue of The
Lancet. The authors assessed asthma risk in approximately 3,500
children who played zero, one, two, or three or more team
sports. The children were followed for up to five years to
determine the development of asthma. Children playing three or
more team sports in high-ozone communities were over three times
more likely to develop asthma than children playing no sports.
Playing three or more sports in low-ozone communit