The incidence of autism increased by 57% between 2002 and 2007 , according to figures from the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC). A new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives suggests that pollution from vehicular traffic could be one of the causes. Specifically, according to its authors, mothers who live near highways with heavy traffic are almost twice as likely to give birth to autistic children than the rest.
To reach that conclusion, Heather Volk and her colleagues at Hispotal Infantil in Los Angeles (USA) studied more than 500 children between the ages of 2 and 5 who lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento. The incidence of autism was much higher – specifically 86% – if their residence was located approximately 300 meters from a highway or highway . The authors assure that the next objective will be to determine if this effect is related to environmental pollution in residential areas.
