Air pollution can increase asthma risk in adults, even at low levels

Living close to a busy road can be bad for your respiratory health if you are middle aged, new Australian research has found. A study published in the European Respiratory Journal found Australians aged 45-50 who lived less than 200 metres from a major road had a 50 per cent higher risk of asthma, wheeze and lower lung function over a five-year period than those who lived more than 200 metres from a major road. Researchers found that the increase in these health issues was despite Australia's relatively low safe nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit of 30 parts per billion per year*. The highest reading was just 23. Academics at the University of Melbourne's Allergy and Lung Health Unit and the Centre for Air Quality and Health Research and Evaluation (CAR) led the study, which is one of few to investigate the long-term health effects of air pollution. The project surveyed about 700 participants from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study when they were aged 45 and 50. Although the Tasmanian Health Study started in Tasmania, participants are currently distributed in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.