Stress was not only affect ourselves but also others around you. The new study shows that children living with parents who stress more easily suffer from lung disease.
The study, by scientists at the University of Southern California showed that children who live in households that stress is more susceptible to lung damage from traffic pollution.
"Stress will lead to greater pollution effects on children, but I was surprised that the increased air pollution has no effect on children from homes with low stress," explained Dr. Talat Islam from the University of Southern California, author of the study, as reported by Health24, Tuesday (07/26/2011).
It is unclear what underlies the relationship between pollution, household stress and lung function, but Dr. Talat said that the stress and pollutants are both associated with inflammation and tissue damage.
"That makes sense. The body wear and tear caused by stress can make individuals more susceptible to the effects of traffic-related air pollution," explained Dr. Jane Clougherty from the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the study.
In the study, researchers assessed lung function nearly 1,400 children who live in southern California. Researchers also estimate the amount of traffic pollutants in nearly 1,000 different areas.
Specifically they are looking for nitrogen oxides form when fuel is burned. According to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, nitrogen oxides can damage lung tissue and make asthma worse.
Six years earlier, the children's parents filled out questionnaires about stress levels. Questions asked for example about how often they felt able to deal with personal problems or control it.
The result, for children who live in homes with high levels of stress is, any increase in 22 ppb of nitrogen oxides, their lung function decreased by 4.5 percent.
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