Young lungs
Childhood influences may play a part in three-quarters of cases of the smoking-linked chronic lung disease, COPD, according to Australian researchers. They say deteriorations in lung function between the ages of seven and 53 is often linked to conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, eczema, nasal allergies and parental smoking. But UK researchers say that lung function improves by adulthood in 75% of babies who have problems before the age of six months.