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16 Jun 2008
Children living near busy roads are more likely to develop allergies such as hay fever and eczema than others, it has been claimed.
A new study shows that youngsters who are close to streets with large amounts of traffic pollution are 50 per cent more likely to have allergies.
Researchers in Germany said that those living within 50 metres of a busy road also increased their chances of being allergic to certain foods.
"We consistently found strong associations between the distance to the nearest main road and the allergies disease outcomes," according to Dr Joachim Heinrich, who led the study.
"Children living closer than 50 metres to a busy street had the highest probability of getting allergic symptoms, compared to children living further away."
Published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the report considered the health of children aged between four and six.
A number of factors could be the cause of the rise in allergy cases in busy areas including pollution from diesel fumes, which can cause irritation.
In the UK, around 12.2 million people are believed to have some form of allergy-related illness.
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