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Asthma alert

High-traffic areas are linked to children's asthma risk

Children who live near busy roads are more likely to have symptoms of asthma than those who do not, a study of more than 5,000 children has found. The study found that children who lived within 250 feet of major roads had a 50 per cent higher risk of having had asthma symptoms in the past year.

The researchers found that the asthma risk decreased to normal for children living about 600 feet or more away from a busy road.

The greatest risk was found in children who had lived near busy roads before age 2, suggesting they might have been exposed to pollutants in infancy or while their mothers were pregnant.

While it is unclear what people who live near roads can do to reduce their risk, some communities in the U. S. have begun passing laws intended to keep new schools farther from busy roads. (NYT)

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