Childhood exposure to air pollution linked to risk of substance abuse

A study led by a team from Sheffield Hallam University has found an association between exposure to air pollution in early life, and adverse developmental and mental health outcomes in adolescence.

The team examined how air pollution exposure from conception to age 10 influenced cognitive, educational, and mental health outcomes during childhood and adolescence. Data came from 1,265 participants in the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS), a New Zealand birth cohort born in 1977. Historical air pollution levels were estimated for each participant from pregnancy through age 10, based on their home addresses between 1976 and 1987.

Using this data, they identified four patterns of exposure: low pollution, consistently high pollution, high pollution before and just after birth, and high pollution during the preschool years.

They then looked at how these patterns were related to 16 different outcomes during childhood and adolescence, including attention, behavior, school achievement, and substance use.

It was found that children exposed to high levels of pollution—either consistently or around the time of birth—were more likely to have attention problems. Those exposed before and just after birth also had a higher risk of substance abuse. Children exposed to more pollution during their preschool years were more likely to have behavior problems, do worse in school, and use substances as teenagers.

The study was led by Dr Matthew Hobbs, Associate Professor in Spatial Data Science and Planetary Health and Transforming Lives Fellow in the School of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University.

Dr Hobbs said: ‘This research represents a significant advancement in our understanding of how environmental pollutants can shape developmental trajectories.

‘Our findings suggest that air pollution exposure during critical developmental windows may have far-reaching consequences for children’s futures. They underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies that reduce children’s exposure to air pollution, particularly during sensitive developmental periods such as pregnancy and early childhood.’