Exposure to Air Pollution During Childhood Associated with Adult Bronchitis

NEW YORK, NY – June 27, 2024 – Exposure to nitrogen oxide and particulate matter air pollution in children from birth to 17 years was associated with bronchitic symptoms (i.e., bronchitis, chronic cough, or phlegm) in adulthood, according to new research published early online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Researchers looked at data of 1308 participants from birth through adulthood. The data, taken from the Southern California Children’s Health Study, showed that higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM₁₀) during childhood were associated with higher likelihood of reporting bronchitic symptoms as an adult.

 “For both NO₂ and PM₁₀, associations were stronger among participants who reported having childhood asthma,” said lead author Erika Garcia, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, Division of Environmental Health, Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Participants with childhood asthma may represent a subpopulation with increased susceptibility to the effects of air pollution exposure in childhood.”

Children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution; not only are their lungs and immune system still developing, but they also breathe more air per kilogram of body weight compared to adults.

“Controlling exposure to air pollution at an individual level is challenging, which stresses the importance of continuing regulatory efforts to reduce air pollution concentrations—including to nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter which were implicated in this study—to protect the public’s respiratory health,” said Dr. Garcia.

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