Research examining similar IQ deficits due to lead exposure found that for every dollar invested in reducing lead exposure, there would be a $17 to $220 benefit largely because less exposure to toxins would raise kid’s intelligence, allowing them to earn more over their lifetimes.
When viewed together, these two studies of the affect of PAHs on IQ are “a striking finding” because they each found “a measurable and statistically significant decrease in IQ,” according to Jennifer Adibi, an epidemiologist who studies how environmental exposures affect fetal development at University of California San Francisco.
Some experts aren’t surprised by the drop in IQ since multiple studies have already linked air pollution to asthma, low birth weight, lung cancer and diminished lung function. A growing pile of research has already begun to suggest that environmental toxins can lead to problems with cognitive development, conduct disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
These pollutants are highest in urban areas, but you can help reduce your children’s air pollution exposure no matter where you live. Check out our article on combatting automotive air pollution for tips from pushing your baby in a stroller that’s higher off the ground to checking air quality before you go for a walk.
Frederica Perera, the lead author on both air pollution studies, is the director of Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health in New York City. The good news she says, is that during the New York City study from 1998 to 2006, data from the women’s air pollution-detecting backpacks showed that airborne levels of PAHs decreased by more than 50 percent. Here’s hoping for continued reductions in air pollution and smart kids!
Images: Ed Yourdon, anissat
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