Bountiful -- Couching, a feeling of tightness in your chest, shortness of breath, burning of eyes, nose and throat, may indicate that the heat and air pollution are affecting your health. "Air pollution causes inflammation of the tissues in the respiratory system. Our body then tries to move out the excess mucus," says Steve Packham, a toxicologist with the Utah Division of Air Quality. "The heat of the day is the time when ozone pollution is the worst; or an hour or two following the heat of the day," said Packham. Estimates are that one in three Utahns experience some type of respiratory problem during high pollution periods, according to the Utah Division of Air Quality.

"Children are more susceptible to air pollution because their respiratory system is being developed. They breathe six times more air per minute per body size than the average adult," said Packham.

"Children with asthma shouldn't exercise on high pollution days," said Packham.

According to the Utah Division of Air Quality there are more than 47,000 children in Utah with asthma. Emergency room visits and hospital admissions for asthma increase about 24 hours after ozone levels are high.

Prolonged exposure to low levels of ozone can reduce a healthy adult's lung function by 15-20 percent, according the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For more information go to www.cleanair.utah.gov