Secondhand smoke can harm kids

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Washington, Jun 8 (UNI) Environmental tobacco smoke has an adverse effect on children as young as 11 years, says a new study.

'The Journal of the American Heart Association' add to the mounting evidence of the harmful health consequences of secondhand smoke exposure in children.

"Our study shows that exposure to secondhand smoke can harm the function of the arteries in children, just as other research groups have found that secondhand smoke harms the function of the arteries in adults," said Katariina Kallio, M D, lead author of the study and research fellow at the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Turku, Finland.

"Even a little exposure to smoke at home or in the public environment can be harmful to the cardiovascular system of healthy schoolchildren," Ms Kallio said.

Researchers assessed arterial health and objectively measured exposure to environmental smoke, instead of self-reported smoking at home by parents.

"Even modest exposure to tobacco smoke alters endothelial function in children, and may impact early development of atherosclerosis," Ms Kallio said.

"Endothelial dysfunction relative to passive smoking may be only partially reversible after cessation to the exposure, suggesting the importance of implementing smoke-free environments for children at home and in public places." About 35,000 nonsmokers die from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) each year as a result of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, according to the American Heart Association. Data from The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General (2006) indicate a 25 per cent to 30 per cent increase in the risk of CHD from exposure to secondhand smoke.

"There is no safe amount of environmental tobacco exposure for children," Ms Kallio said. "The environment should be smoke-free at home and in any public place." UNI

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