Air pollution and mental health in kids

A new study says that high levels of exposure to air pollution can negatively affect the brain as well as mental development of children and adolescents.

The findings of the study that were published in BMJ showed that air pollution increased the risk of at least one psychiatric diagnosis for children and adolescents.

In particular, the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) were found rampant in residential areas.

In addition, the risk increased nine per cent with a 10 micro gram per cubic meter higher concentration of nitrogen dioxide even after socioeconomic and demographic factors were taken into account.

However, children and adolescents living in such areas were more likely to have been given medications, including sedatives, sleeping pills and anti-psychotics, for a psychiatric disorder.

‘The results can mean that higher concentration of air pollution, first and foremost traffic-related air pollution, may increase psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents,’ said lead author Anna Oudin, researcher at Umea University in Sweden.