Washington, July 15 (ANI): Children living near busy traffic streets are at an increased risk of developing allergic diseases, a new study suggests.

In the study led by Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, a German research group has found that increased exposure to traffic-related air pollution leads to allergic diseases in kids.

The researchers tracked 3,061 six-year old children from Munich and its surroundings, and studied behavioural and environmental risk factors for allergic diseases.

They based their analysis on the corresponding distance of the parental home to streets busy with traffic and air pollution with fine dust, diesel soot and nitrogen dioxide.

They found that an increased exposure to fine dust led to asthmatic bronchitis and allergic sensitization to pollen. Moreover, exposure to nitric oxide was linked to an increase in eczema.

The study led by Dr. Joachim Heinrich of the Institute of Epidemiology of the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen showed that children who lived less than 50m from a very busy main road were between 1 pct and 50 pct more likely to contract these diseases, while the risk lowered with increasing distances to the main roads.

The results are published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. (ANI)