Longitudinal associations of low-dose air pollution with cardiometabolic outcomes in children and the role of diet

Background and objectives: Exposure to air pollutants, even at low concentrations, has been associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes and increased premature mortality in adults. Children are particularly sensitive to the effects of air pollution due to higher breathing rates and their develo...

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Veröffentlicht in:Norsk tidsskrift for ernæring 2024-06, Vol.22 (5)
Hauptverfasser: Healy, Darren, Mikkonen, Santtu, Eloranta, Aino-Maija, Kolehmainen, Marjukka, Lakka, Timo
Format: Magazinearticle
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Background and objectives: Exposure to air pollutants, even at low concentrations, has been associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes and increased premature mortality in adults. Children are particularly sensitive to the effects of air pollution due to higher breathing rates and their developing organs. Cardiometabolic diseases can track from early age into adulthood. Exposure to air pollution during childhood, an important development period, may affect risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of low-dose air pollutants with cardiometabolic outcomes in children, and to explore the role of diet quality on the impact of air pollution on cardiometabolic health. Methods: A general population of 504 children aged 6–9 years at baseline was followed up for two years as part of the Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention in Children (PANIC) study. Daily air concentrations of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone, and carbon monoxide were obtained from monitoring stations. Data were analysed with linear mixed-effects models using the R software. Results: We found a total of 13 statistically significant associations of single pollutants with cardiometabolic outcomes, primarily markers of oxidative stress, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle metabolism, and liver enzymes. Diet quality, as measured by the Finnish Children Healthy Eating Index, was observed to modify statistically significantly 17 associations of air pollutants with cardiometabolic outcomes. Discussion: These findings suggest that exposure to ambient air pollutants, particularly nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, were associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in childhood. Diet may be a personal-level approach to mitigate the impact of air pollution on cardiometabolic health.
ISSN:1503-5034
2703-9609
DOI:10.18261/ntfe.22.5.124