New research published in the journal ′New Directions for Child and Adolescent Research has shown the detrimental effects of pollution exposure among youngsters.

The study analyzed the blood samples from more than 100 healthy kids between the ages of 9 and 11 who lived in the Sacramento region, where the Environmental Protection Agency recorded pollutants near their homes. Inflammation indicators in the blood were detected in 27 children under study following severe fires when their neighborhoods saw significant amounts of PM2.5 in the air.

According to the research, children may be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution, given that they inhale more pollutants than adults because of the larger lung surfaces compared to their body weight.

These findings reveal the immediate effects of air pollution exposure, which may raise the risk of developing a disease. (Hindustan Times, Aug 07, 2022)