Nicotine levels higher in kids sleeping with smoking parents
Saturday, 02 April 2011, 10:37 IST   |    1 Comments
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London: Babies who share a bedroom with their smoking parents exhibit nicotine levels three times higher than those that sleep in another room as particles from the fumes stick to their skin or clothing. A new study also says that ventilating bedrooms is not effective in reducing the levels of toxins from passive smoking. "Passive smoking is the leading preventable cause of childhood death in developed countries," said Guadalupe Ortega, who as coordinator led the study Atencio Primaria Sense Fum, Spain, reports the journal BMC Public Health. Known as BIBE (Brief Intervention in Babies. Effectiveness) "the study highlights exposure to tobacco smoke among this very vulnerable age group in private spaces, where no specific programmes are yet in place", said Ortega. The study involved 96 primary healthcare centres in Catalonia, Spain. Experts interviewed the parents of 1,123 babies (under 18 months), who had at least one smoking parent, according to Atencio Primaria programme statement. They analysed hair samples from 252 babies in order to determine their nicotine levels, and carried out follow-up visits three and six months later. The parents' statements largely coincided with the results obtained from the hair analysis - 73 percent of the adults said they smoked or allowed smoking in their homes, while 83 percent of the hair analysed showed up high nicotine levels. The hair nicotine analyses also showed that smoke toxins are not eliminated even if parents regularly carry out actions to protect their children's health.
Source: IANS
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