Childhood exposure to air pollution connected to developing bronchitis in adulthood, research finds

New research by a team from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine has found evidence linking long-term childhood exposure to air pollution with the development of bronchitis symptoms in adulthood.

The study utilized data from 1,308 participants in the decades-long USC Children’s Health Study, which tracks a group of Californians from their school years into adulthood.

The participants, who had an average age of 32 at the time of assessment, reported recent bronchitis symptoms, such as chronic cough or congestion. A quarter of them confirmed experiencing these symptoms within the past year.

It has been well-established that lung problems during childhood can be linked to air pollution exposure, leading to respiratory issues later in life.