The introduction of the low emission zone (LEZ) in London, UK, has only contributed to modest reductions in exposure to NO x from diesel vehicles, and these improvements appear to have little effect on the lung health of children, according to an open-access observational study published in the journal The Lancet Public Health . The study, which included more than 2,000 primary school children (aged 8-9 years) living in highly polluted areas of London’s low emission zone, confirmed that chronic exposure to common traffic-related pollutants is linked with reduced lung function. Moreover, despite improvements in air quality following the introduction of the LEZ, the researchers found no evidence of a reduction in the proportion of children with small lungs or asthma symptoms over the 5 years since the scheme was implemented. The research team from Queen Mary University of London, King’s College London and the University of Edinburgh said […]