Low buggies expose toddlers to higher levels of air pollution

BABIES should be pushed in high prams rather than low-slung buggies to avoid pollution, a study suggests.

Analysis has found that toddlers are typically exposed to 60 per cent more toxic particles than their parents when travelling in buggies because doing so puts them closer to the level of exhaust pipes. Most standard prams or buggies place infants between 22in and 33in off ground level, increasing exposure because vehicle exhausts typically sit within 40 inches of the surface.

However, more old fashioned prams, such as that used last month at Princess Charlotte’s christening, can often raise the occupant above this height.

Babies are particularly vulnerable to pollution because the exhaust particles are proportionally bigger for their lungs and blood vessels compared with adults. Experts have warned that persistent exposure can damage the brain’s frontal lobe, impacting on cognitive ability and neurological development.

Prof Prashant Kumar, who led the research at Surrey University, said: “We know that infants breathe in higher amounts of airborne particles relative to their lung size and body weight compared to adults. What we have proven here is that the height most children travel at while in a pram doubles the likelihood of negative impacts from air pollution when compared to an adult.”

The study, published in the journal Environment International, also calls for measures to prevent pollution reaching the pavement, such as hedges.