Exposure to air pollution on the way to school can have damaging effects on growth of children's working memory, suggests new research.
A study, published recently in Environmental Pollution, found an association between a reduction in working memory and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon during the walking commute to and from school.
Air Pollution
Nearly 2.4 million deaths every year are attributable to air pollution. Air pollutants may be solid particles, liquid droplets or gases. Proper planning methods should be adopted to reduce air pollution.
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‘20% of a child’s daily dose of black carbon a pollutant directly related to traffic is inhaled during urban commutes and is also found to impair the working memory.’
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PM2.5 are fine inhalable particles that have diameters of 2.5 micrometres or less and black carbon is a pollutant directly related to traffic.
The aim of the team undertaking the new study was to assess the impact of exposure to air pollution during the walking commute to school. The findings of an earlier study had shown that 20% of a child's daily dose of black carbon— a pollutant directly related to traffic—is inhaled during urban commutes.
![Air Pollution Linked to Impaired Blood Vessel Function]( "Air Pollution Linked to Impaired Blood Vessel Function")
Air pollution is linked to increased pulmonary vascular tone which makes it more difficult for blood to flow to the lungs.
"The results of earlier toxicological and experimental studies have shown that these short exposures to very high concentrations of pollutants can have a disproportionately high impact on health" explains Mar Álvarez-Pedrerol, ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study.
"The detrimental effects may be particularly marked in children because of their smaller lung capacity and higher respiratory rate," she adds.
The study was carried out in Barcelona and enrolled over 1,200 children aged from 7 to 10, from 39 schools, all of whom walked to school on a daily basis. The children's working memory and attention capacity was assessed several times during the 12-month study. Their exposure to air pollution over the same period was calculated on the basis of estimated levels on the shortest walking route to their school.
Statistical analysis of the findings revealed that exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon was associated with a reduction in the growth of working memory: an interquartile range increase in PM 2.5 and black carbon levels was associated with a decline of 4.6% and 3.9%, respectively, in expected annual growth of working memory.
No significant associations were found with exposure to NO2 and none of the pollutants studied were observed to have any effect on attention capacity. In this study, boys were much more sensitive than girls to the effects of both PM2.5 and black carbon.
"Above all, we do not want to create the impression that walking to school is bad for children's health because the opposite is true: walking or cycling to school, which builds physical activity into the child's daily routine, has health benefits that far outweigh any negative impact of air pollution" explains Jordi Sunyer, head of ISGlobal's Child Health Programme and co-author of the study.
"The fact that children who walk to school may be more exposed to pollution does not mean that children who commute by car or on public transport are not also exposed to high levels. The solution is the same for everyone: reduce the use of private vehicles for the school run and create less polluted and safer home-to-school routes."
Source: Medindia
Air Pollution Linked to Impaired Blood Vessel Function
Air pollution is linked to increased pulmonary vascular tone which makes it more difficult for blood to flow to the lungs.
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"The results of earlier toxicological and experimental studies have shown that these short exposures to very high concentrations of pollutants can have a disproportionately high impact on health" explains Mar Álvarez-Pedrerol, ISGlobal researcher and first author of the study.
"The detrimental effects may be particularly marked in children because of their smaller lung capacity and higher respiratory rate," she adds.
The study was carried out in Barcelona and enrolled over 1,200 children aged from 7 to 10, from 39 schools, all of whom walked to school on a daily basis. The children's working memory and attention capacity was assessed several times during the 12-month study. Their exposure to air pollution over the same period was calculated on the basis of estimated levels on the shortest walking route to their school.
Statistical analysis of the findings revealed that exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon was associated with a reduction in the growth of working memory: an interquartile range increase in PM 2.5 and black carbon levels was associated with a decline of 4.6% and 3.9%, respectively, in expected annual growth of working memory.
No significant associations were found with exposure to NO2 and none of the pollutants studied were observed to have any effect on attention capacity. In this study, boys were much more sensitive than girls to the effects of both PM2.5 and black carbon.
"Above all, we do not want to create the impression that walking to school is bad for children's health because the opposite is true: walking or cycling to school, which builds physical activity into the child's daily routine, has health benefits that far outweigh any negative impact of air pollution" explains Jordi Sunyer, head of ISGlobal's Child Health Programme and co-author of the study.
"The fact that children who walk to school may be more exposed to pollution does not mean that children who commute by car or on public transport are not also exposed to high levels. The solution is the same for everyone: reduce the use of private vehicles for the school run and create less polluted and safer home-to-school routes."
Source: Medindia
Optimal Walking And Cycling Speeds Identified To Minimize Effects Of Air Pollution
To minimize the inhalation of air pollution, cyclists and pedestrians should resort to an optimal cycling and walking speed.
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 Risk of Preterm Birth Increased by Exposure to Air PollutionStudy identifies link between maternal exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) and preterm birth. | Advertisement
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