Main road asthma risk to children
10 May 2006

Children living near a major road face a higher risk of developing asthma, according to a new study.

The study by the University of Southern California of more than 5,000 children aged five to seven found that those living 82 yards (75 metres) from a major road had a 50% greater risk of having had asthma symptoms in the past year than children who lived more than 328 yards (300 metres) away.

Higher traffic volumes on the different roads were also related to increased rates of asthma, according to lead researcher Dr Rob McConnell, Professor of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California.

Previous studies have examined the impact of traffic or traffic-related pollution near children’s homes but have not looked at exposure from early in life. This new research shows that the link is particularly strong among children with no family history of asthma who have lived in the same address since before they were two. This suggests exposure to traffic fumes very early in life may be a critical risk factor for the development of asthma.

‘These findings are consistent with an emerging body of evidence that local traffic around homes and schools may be causing an increase in asthma,’ said Dr McConnell. ‘This is a potentially important public health problem as many children live near major roads.’

Results from Asthma UK’s National Asthma Panel found that 66% of people with asthma say that traffic pollution triggers their symptoms.

‘Although this is an American study, it confirms previous findings of research by the University of Nottingham in 2001,’ explained Josianne Roma-Reardon, Asthma UK's Senior Policy & Information Officer. ‘This found an increased risk of asthma symptoms among children living near main roads.’

‘We know that people with asthma and parents of children with asthma are concerned about traffic pollution. Asthma UK believes that air pollution may well play a part in causing asthma to develop and is actively campaigning for cleaner air, as well as funding further research into this area.’

The study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.