Poor air quality 'affects lung health'

Poor air quality can have a detrimental effect on people's health, according to the Canadian Lung Association (CLA).

The organisation issued a statement this week claiming that pollution can not only aggravate existing conditions by inflaming the lungs, but can also contribute to the development of asthma, heart disease and ear infections.

"Even relatively low levels of air pollution can cause health problems," explained Tony Hudson, who chairs the CLA's Environmental Issues Working Group.

And Dr Michael Brauer, a specialist in environmental health from the University of British Columbia, warned that the effects of bad air may not be apparent in the short term, but it could have a cumulative impact that leads to problems in the long term.

The CLA has published numerous press releases so far in 2010 to raise awareness of lung issues and is officially recognising the Forum of International Respiratory Societies' global Year of the Lung initiative.

Posted by Joseph Hutton