Traffic pollution may boost the risk of children getting asthma

More bad news for those raising families in urban areas - traffic pollution poses serious risk to child health and can lead to the development of asthma. "Traffic pollution may boost the risk of children getting asthma - if they have genes which make them vulnerable, a study says. The University of Southern California team studied the health records and genetic profiles of 3,000 children. Those with a gene variation were slightly more at risk but if they lived near a main road, the risk rose more, the Thorax journal reported. But UK asthma experts said the link remained unclear. Scientists exploring how respiratory diseases, including asthma, develop have highlighted the importance of genes which control key body chemicals linked to "clean-up" functions in the body. " Although genetics does play a role in determining the likelihood of developing asthma, living close to busy, polluted roads can increase the chances of childhood and long term asthma.