Air pollution can cut down children’s memory growth, read here why!

New Delhi, October 9: Air pollution has been shown to affect your health in many ways, including causing damage to your heart. How polluted your kid’s school route is may impact their learning and growth. According to a study, an association has been found between working memory and exposure to fine particulate matter. 

 

Fine inhale particles that have diameters of 2.5 micrometres or less can reduce a child’s memory. Black carbon in the matter directly affects the memory. However, the findings of an earlier study had shown that 20% of a child’s daily dose of black carbon is inhaled during urban commutes. This further leads to blockage in the memory. The detrimental effects may be particularly marked in children because of their smaller lung capacity and higher respiratory rate

“The results of earlier toxicological and experimental studies have shown that these short exposures to very high concentrations of pollutants can have a disproportionately high impact on health” said first author of the study Mar Alvarez-Pedrerol, researcher at Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain.

“The fact that children who walk to school may be more exposed to pollution does not mean that children who commute by car or on public transport are not also exposed to high levels. The solution is the same for everyone: reduce the use of private vehicles and create less-polluted nature.” said Jordi Sunyer, head of ISGlobal’s Child Health Programme. and co-author of the study.