As a child, those who live near highways may not have fully developed lungs, which may turn such children more vulnerable to several respiratory and heart problems in the later phase of their lives. This fact popped out of a study conducted by U.S. researchers.

This study further found that children who had lived within 500 yards of a highway from the age of 10, had significantly less lung function by the time they reached 18 than youngsters exposed to less traffic pollution. Telling more about this study Dr. David A. Schwartz, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences said:

This study shows there are health effects from childhood exposure to traffic exhaust that can last a lifetime.

On the basis of this study, it can definitely be said that people living near highways or the areas where traffic-borne pollution is higher, are at higher risk of developing several respiratory diseases. Actually, this finding points to a serious threat, which is hovering over all of us. Because by and by traffic-borne pollution is coming out of the limitations of highways and shrouding more and more areas thus covering other areas too under its dingy pall, confirming the fact that susceptibility of kids towards respiratory diseases is augmenting constantly, which is a deplorable issue. Moreover, we can also not keep a blind eye to the several other side effects that comes out from traffic pollution. Here are a few references:-

• Traffic pollution ‘kills thousands’

• Traffic ‘damages male fertility.

• Traffic Pollution Tied to Asthma in Kids.

• Tackling concern about the risks to health of pollution from road traffic.

• Respiratory ills in kids linked to traffic pollution.

Via: MSNBC