By Abdullahi Lukman
A new study has found a significant link between relatively small increases in ozone air pollution during a child’s first two years of life and a heightened risk of developing asthma and wheezing between the ages of 4 and 6.
Researchers from the University of Washington reported their findings on April 2nd in JAMA Network Open.
The study, which analyzed data from over 1,100 children across six U.S. cities (Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Memphis, Rochester, and Yakima), compared maternal reports of children’s asthma and wheezing to federal ozone pollution data in their respective areas.
Lead researcher Logan Dearborn, a doctoral student, noted the unexpected finding that ozone exposure did not correlate with an increased asthma risk at ages 8 and 9.
He acknowledged the puzzling nature of this result, stating, “It’s something we spent a long time trying to consider, and I don’t know if we ever came up with a satisfying answer.”
Despite this, Dearborn emphasized the importance of the early-life findings, highlighting the potential for increased healthcare costs and family stress even if the effects are limited to early childhood.
The research indicated that a relatively small increase of 2 parts per billion in ozone exposure for toddlers was associated with a 31 percent increased risk of asthma and a 30 percent increased risk of wheezing in the 4-to-6-year-old age group.
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Furthermore, the study revealed that ozone played a significant role in asthma risk when analyzed in mixtures with other common air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter.
Dearborn explained that when ozone levels in the air pollution mixture exceeded approximately 25 parts per billion, the probability of asthma was higher, regardless of nitrogen dioxide concentrations.
The researchers also found that the link between ozone and childhood asthma was more evident when fine particulate matter concentrations were at or above median levels.
While previous research has linked other air pollutants to childhood asthma, the role of ozone, which frequently exceeds U.S. air quality standards, has been less clear.
Ozone pollution forms through the reaction of sunlight with emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industrial facilities.
The researchers call for further investigation into why the ozone-asthma link appears to diminish in later childhood and whether it might re-emerge in adolescence.
They emphasize that their findings suggest parents and regulators should prioritize ozone pollution as a serious factor affecting children’s health.
Dearborn also pointed out that current U.S. ozone regulations focus on short-term exposure limits and suggested that considering long-term thresholds might be necessary to better protect public health.
