Kids Asthma Rates Increase Near Traffic

Cars and trucks are Americans’ favorite way to get around. But a study that’s the first of its kind in the U.S. suggests children’s health might be suffering from our love affair with the automobile. The GLRC’s Shawn Allee has our story:

Transcript

Cars and trucks are Americans’ favorite way to get around. But a study
that’s the first of its kind in the U.S suggests children’s health might be
suffering from our love affair with the automobile. The GLRC’s Shawn
Allee has our story:


The University of Southern California studied kids who live near busy
roads and freeways. They found they were fifty percent more likely to
develop asthma than kids who lived farther away.


Professor Rob McConnell co-authored the work. He says homes aren’t
unique. Other places, such as school playgrounds, could pose risks if
they’re near roads, too.


“I think there’re some practical implications for parents or for physical
education teachers in terms of having children exercise away from a
major road.”


McConnell says studies of children in Europe back up his own
conclusions.


Environmentalists say the findings confirm their suspicion that decades
worth of clean air regulations haven’t gone far enough.


For the GLRC, I’m Shawn Allee.

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