Air pollution has been in the news again this week highlighting the dangers around lung development in children if their exposure to air pollution is too high. Researchers have studied 5,000 people who were born in Bristol in the 90s and their lungs were assessed at birth, 8 years old, 15 years old and 24 years old which is when their lungs should have reached their maximum size and function.

Their lung function was measured using a spirometry where participants took a deep breath in and then blow out into a mouthpiece. A machine measured how much they could breathe out and the speed of the breath too which indicated how well their lungs were functioning.

Air pollution exposure was calculated based on where they lived and they totalled up particle pollution and nitrogen dioxide from diesel cars and fossil gas boilers. They did this by sourcing road traffic data from the council.

Those participants whose lungs didn’t grow to their maximum capacity were likely to be more prone to respiratory disease in later life as they have a lower reserve and capacity. Generally, their health was more likely to be worse too as there are correlations between low lung function, heart disease and high cholesterol.

1. Why did researchers say the effects of air pollution during childhood should not be dismissed, even if the impact on each child seems small?

2. During which stage of development did air pollution have the greatest effect on lung growth, and why is this surprising?

3. Besides respiratory illness, what other major health risk did researchers link to reduced lung function in adulthood?