“Air Pollution and Children’s Health. Where does the story begin?”
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It is increasingly recognized that individuals of certain lifestages appear to be at greater risk for developing adverse health outcomes related, in part, to disproportionate or cumulative air pollution exposure; and, in part, to increased sensitivity to pollutant exposure during periods of rapid growth and organ development. Such exposures often occur in combination with other environmental and socioeconomic stressors.
Using animal model approaches, exposures in a defined experimental setting were performed to address uncertainties in our understanding of: (1) critical stages of development that may be impacted by air pollution exposures; and (2) how early life air pollutant exposure may increase risk of cardiopulmonary or other diseases later in life. This overview will discuss factors that influence, in sex-dependent manner, how limited short-term, repeated, or cumulative pollutant exposures across specific lifestages may increase health risks, especially for children.