ABOUT THE STUDY Starting in the 1990s, the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS III) began tracking a large population of 6,235 women and men with a beginning average age of 34 at 22 health centres in multiple countries. Over the next 20 years, participants were quizzed about their use of both spray and other cleaning products and had their lung capacity tested regularly. Lung capacity was measured by breathing into a spirometer, an instrument that measures how much air you can exhale. Those with compromised lung function are not able to exhale as much volume as someone who is healthy. Of the participants, 53% were women and 44% were lifelong nonsmokers. Analysis was adjusted for smokers and those with doctor-diagnosed asthma. Participant data was extensive, ensuring that each subject was well characterised, significantly reducing the likelihood of misrepresentation. After twenty years of data had been collected, the results were compiled and analysed by a team of 28 international researchers from nine countries, led by scientists at The University of Bergen in Norway. The study was recently published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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