Air pollution harms children the most!
Poor air quality is Hong Kong’s number one public health problem, the most harmful source of which is
roadside pollution. And though air pollution affects us all, some suffer more than others – our children
being particularly vulnerable. In the case of children, their vulnerability stems from their breathing rates
being higher than that of adults, resulting in a much higher absorption rate of pollutants. Furthermore,
the health impacts of air pollution can affect them even before they are born.
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Pregnant women who are exposed to air pollutants have shown an increased risk of giving birth
prematurely and having babies with low birth weight. Air toxins, such as carbon monoxide, are
also linked to increased risk of infant mortality (UCLA Institute of the Environment and
Sustainability).
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Air pollution can also have long-lasting effects on the mental development of an unborn child.
Children whose mothers were exposed to roadside pollution during pregnancy were shown to
have lower IQs (by approximately 4 points) (American Journal, Pediatrics).
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Children born to mothers who live close to freeways have been shown to have twice the risk of
developing autism (Environmental Health Perspectives).
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As children are still growing, their lungs are still being developed, therefore breathing in air
pollutants can permanently impair their lung function and lung capacity, thereby leading to a
lifetime of weakened health (New England Journal of Medicine).
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Babies and toddlers who live in areas with moderate air pollution may have a higher risk of
middle-ear infection than those breathing cleaner air (American Journal of Epidemiology).
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Young children exposed to nickel, vanadium and black carbon, which originate from vehicle
exhaust, often wheeze or cough (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine).
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Living close to highways and major roads (e.g. within 300 to 500 meters) has been shown to
exacerbate, or even cause the development of, asthma in children (Occupational and
Environmental Medicine).
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Children aged four and under are the most at risk for asthma attacks from traffic-related air
pollution (Medical Journal of Australia).
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Exposure to air pollution within 100 meters of a busy main road increases the risk of contracting
pneumonia by 65% (Professor Jonathan Grigg, academic paediatrician at Queen Mary,
University of London).
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Air pollution is shown to cause brain inflammation & nerve cell damage leading to lower IQ,
memory & motion impairment in both kids and adults (Science News Magazine).
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Exposure to polluted air increases obesity risk and insulin resistance in young animals, and
therefore, also possibly in children. (Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology)
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In children, air pollution negates the beneficial effects of exercise. (Chinese University of Hong
Kong)
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Long term exposure to traffic air pollutants is also linked to other respiratory illnesses and heart
problems in children (American Thoracic Society).
The negative impacts of air pollution on children are varied and serious, and if exposed from an early
age, a child will suffer impaired health for life.
What can parents do to tackle the problem?
The most effective method is to avoid exposure in main intersections that have heavy air pollution. You
can also stay abreast of air pollution conditions by signing up to receive air pollution email alert s from
Clean Air Network at www.hongkongcan.org/alert. This email alert service delivers an email to you
whenever the air quality becomes unhealthy and the official Air Pollution Index exceeds 100 at any of
your designated locations. When air pollution is very high, you should limit your child’s exposure by
reducing their outdoor exercise. You can also watch this hard hitting video of Professor Anthony Hedley,
a clean air expert, to learn more on the short and long term impacts of air pollution on children’s health
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q76-gICUoBU).
If you are aware of Hong Kong’s air pollution and want to act on it, please support Clean Air Network.
We are the leading clean air NGO in Hong Kong; visit our website www.hongkongcan.org for unrivaled
resources about air pollution, health, policy and news, or sign up for our newsletter by sending us an
email at info@hongkongcan.org. You can also invite us to speak at your school or corporation.
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