Air pollution report shows health impact

Living near a busy road can stunt lung growth in children by as much as 14%, warns a new report backed by health and environmental groups that calls for tougher air pollution laws in the UK.1

Researchers from King’s College, London analysed 13 health outcomes in people living in high pollution areas and compared them with the general population in nine cities in the UK and four in Poland. They pooled data from previously published studies and meta-analyses, together with air pollution measurements from roadside monitoring stations.

Most previous reports have concentrated on deaths, life expectancy, and broad types of hospital admissions, whereas this report includes symptoms that affect many people, such as acute bronchitis in …