People exposed to significant air pollution in early childhood are more likely to die early than those raised in areas with better air quality, according to a study.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh analysed health data from 3,000 people born in Scotland in 1936.
They found that those exposed to high levels of air pollution aged three were more likely to die between the ages of 65 and 86 than those subjected to low levels.
Exposure to high levels of air pollution also increased the chances of dying from cancer, especially from lung cancer in women.
The study is among the first to examine the links between air pollution and deaths over a 75-year period.
Air pollution particles are inhaled into the body and can get into the bloodstream, causing damage to blood vessels and airways. Damage to organs when children are aged between 11 to 16 could lead to lifelong complications, clinicians have warned.
More than a million under 18s in the UK live in neighbourhoods where air pollution is higher than the recommended health standards.
During the time period, 1,608 of the participants died. Exposure to high levels of fine particle air pollution – known as PM2.5 – increased the risk of dying between the ages of 65 and 86 by up to 5 per cent.
Early years exposure increased the risk of dying from cancer. In women, lung cancer was the main cause of cancer-related deaths, linked to an increased risk of 11 per cent.
And in men, the findings suggest that early exposure could be linked to an increased risk of dying from neurodegenerative disorders in later life.
The researchers concluded that air pollution “may have a very long-term impact on health and longevity”, with a “detrimental impact lasting long after mitigation policies reduced concentration levels”.
Last year, the Standard backed “Ella’s Law”, a bill that will enshrine the human right to clean air in law. It is named after Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.
The figures revealed a 187 per cent jump in the number of children in London with asthma being admitted to hospital between August and September 2021.
Children are also particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution due to their faster breathing rates. This leads to heightened exposure to lung infections, and the worsening of existing lung conditions.
Lead author Dr GergÅ Baranyi, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, said: “It is striking to see that children growing up in polluted areas can have consequences that persist throughout their entire life.
“These findings suggest that the effects of air pollution on our health can endure for decades, even after significant efforts are made to reduce pollution levels.”
