Fumes ‘cause 40pc of children’s asthma’

HEALTH: Health concerns have been raised over toxic fumes in a Yorkshire city where research found that almost 40 per cent of child asthma cases were caused by air pollution, including a quarter from traffic emissions.

HEALTH CONCERNS have been raised over toxic fumes in a Yorkshire city where research found that almost 40 per cent of child asthma cases were caused by air pollution.

An international team of researchers looked into the impact of exposure to nitrogen oxides on youngsters in Bradford, which has higher-than-average rates of the condition.

The study found that up to 38 per cent of asthma cases among children in the city may be caused by air pollution and traffic emissions alone could be causing 24 per cent of cases.

The research, published today in Environment International, is the first to calculate the number of asthma cases linked to trafficrelated pollution after previous studies proved a link between air quality and asthma.

The study’s leader author Dr Haneen Khreis, of the University of Leeds, said: “Overall rates of childhood asthma cases in Bradford are higher than the national average, as were emergency hospital admissions for asthmatic children under 16 years of age.

“Traffic-related air pollution is a real concern to the community.

“Quantifying the number of childhood asthma cases that are directly attributable to traffic-related air pollution has not been done in the past and as we show now, a significant portion of cases is largely preventable.”

It is hoped the research will help develop new measures to reduce traffic-related pollution in the city.

Dr Khreis added: “Our work demonstrates that while popular initiatives such as stopping vehicles from idling outside schools or providing walking routes away from roads are important, proposed solutions to mitigate traffic pollution shouldn’t be restricted to localised areas.

“New policies aimed at reducing the effects of traffic-related air pollution need to target each link in the full chain of events, from traffic volume and type to exhaust and non-exhaust emissions, to dispersion to exposure.”

High concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can cause irritation to the respiratory system and significantly worsen existing breathing problems.

The team’s research methods allowed them to chart how much air pollution was present in Bradford and work out how much could be traced back to road traffic.

Prof Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, co-author of the study, said: “There is very little research that explores the impact of different exposure assessments.

“Cases of childhood asthma have been steadily increasing since the 1950s. Future progress with childhood asthma requires a focus beyond controlling and treating the disease towards asthma prevention, starting with reducing traffic-related air pollution.”

The study is part of ongoing efforts in Bradford to measure air pollution and reduce the health impact on children.

Prof John Wright, chief investigator for Born in Bradford, a research study launched to track the health of families in the city, said: “This important study adds to the overwhelming evidence that air pollution is harming our children.”

He said that the “common good is being poisoned by collective neglect”.

He added: “The good news is that we can all save lives by driving less and using cleaner fuels.”

The good news is that we can all save lives by driving less. Professor John Wright, chief investigator for Born in Bradford.