Near the shrinking Salton Sea, children's lungs may pay a price

""Basically, their overall lung capacity isn't developing at the same rate as kids that live further away," said Shohreh Farzan, a co-author of the study and associate professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine."

""When lung growth is hindered in adolescence, that can lead to increased risk for respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases later in life," said Fangqi Guo, the study's lead author."

Research indicates that children aged 10 to 12 living within 6.8 miles of the Salton Sea have diminished lung capacity compared to those living farther away. The study involved testing 369 children over two years, revealing that their lung development is hindered similarly to those near freeways. Dust events and proximity to the Salton Sea negatively impact lung growth, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases later in life. The lake's shrinking has exposed toxic dust from agricultural runoff, affecting low-income communities.

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