Air pollution slows lung growth during childhood, UK study shows

Air pollution is linked to slower lung growth in children in the UK. Researchers followed more than 5,000 people born in and around Bristol in the 1990s, assessing health from birth and testing lung function at ages eight and 15 and again in adulthood at 24. Lung function was measured using spirometry, recording how much air could be breathed out and how fast. The study estimated exposure to particle pollution and nitrogen dioxide during each trimester of pregnancy and each year of early childhood. Lower lung function in adulthood is associated with higher risk of respiratory diseases and poorer overall health, including heart disease risk comparable to high cholesterol. Reduced childhood lung growth may leave less reserve for later illness.

"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. Those whose lungs didn't grow to maximum potential in childhood may be more vulnerable to the respiratory diseases of later life because they have a lower reserve. 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."

"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 the children's air pollution exposure in each trimester of pregnancy and then for each year of early childhood. This included particle pollution as well as nitrogen dioxide, a gas that comes mainly from diesel cars and fossil gas boilers."

"We spent literally years creating the particulate air pollution exposure estimates in pregnancy and early life, including sourcing road traffic data from Bri"

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