Obesity and the Cardiovascular Health Effects of Fine Particulate Air Pollution

Overview

Journal Obesity (Silver Spring)

Specialties Endocrinology
Nutritional Sciences
Physiology

Date 2014 Mar 19

PMID 24639433

Citations 33

Authors

Scott Weichenthal

Jane A Hoppin

Francois Reeves

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: This review examines evidence related to the potential impact of obesity on the cardiovascular health effects of fine particulate air pollution (PM₂.₅).

Methods: A PubMed search was conducted in December, 2013 and studies were included if they examined the relationship between PM₂.₅ and cardiovascular health as well as effect modification by obesity.

Results: One hundred twenty-one citations were reviewed; three large prospective cohort studies and 14 panel studies with short-term follow-up met the above criteria. All three cohort studies reported stronger associations between PM₂.₅ and cardiovascular mortality among obese subjects and one reported a significant trend of increased risk with increased body mass index. Similarly, 11 of 14 panel studies reported stronger associations between PM₂.₅ and acute changes in physiological measures of cardiovascular health among obese subjects including outcomes such as blood pressure and arrhythmia. Although interactions were not always statistically significant, the consistent pattern of stronger associations among obese subjects suggests that obesity may modify the impact of PM2.5 on cardiovascular health.

Conclusions: Epidemiological evidence suggests that obesity may increase susceptibility to the cardiovascular health effects of PM₂.₅. This an important area of research as the public health impacts of air pollution could increase with increasing prevalence of obesity.

Citing Articles

Sex-specific associations between the environmental exposures and low-grade inflammation and increased blood pressure in young, healthy subjects.

Marchewka W, Bryniarski K, Marchewka J, Popiolek I, Debski G, Badacz R Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):9588.

PMID: 38670971 PMC: 11053153. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59078-4.

The causal effect of air pollution on the risk of essential hypertension: a Mendelian randomization study.

Xia Z, Liu Y, Liu C, Dai Z, Liang X, Zhang N Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1247149.

PMID: 38425468 PMC: 10903282. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1247149.

The association of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution with all-cause GP visits and hospital admissions by ethnicity and country of birth in the United Kingdom.

Abed Al Ahad M PLoS One. 2023; 18(10):e0275414.

PMID: 37819897 PMC: 10566689. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275414.

Long-Term Exposure to Ambient PM and Hospitalizations for Myocardial Infarction Among US Residents: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis.

Wang Y, Qiu X, Wei Y, Schwartz J J Am Heart Assoc. 2023; 12(18):e029428.

PMID: 37702054 PMC: 10547266. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.029428.

Associations between Household Solid Fuel Use, Obesity, and Cardiometabolic Health in China: A Cohort Study from 2011 to 2018.

Zhen S, Li Q, Liao J, Zhu B, Liang F Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(4).

PMID: 36833523 PMC: 9956243. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20042826.

References

Yan Y, Chou C, Lee C, Liu J, Cheng T . Enhanced insulin resistance in diet-induced obese rats exposed to fine particles by instillation. Inhal Toxicol. 2011; 23(9):507-19. DOI: 10.3109/08958378.2011.587472. View

Weichenthal S, Villeneuve P, Burnett R, van Donkelaar A, Martin R, Jones R . Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter: association with nonaccidental and cardiovascular mortality in the agricultural health study cohort. Environ Health Perspect. 2014; 122(6):609-15. PMC: 4050514. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1307277. View

BIGGER Jr J, Fleiss J, Steinman R, Rolnitzky L, Kleiger R, Rottman J . Frequency domain measures of heart period variability and mortality after myocardial infarction. Circulation. 1992; 85(1):164-71. DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.85.1.164. View

Wauters A, Dreyfuss C, Pochet S, Hendrick P, Berkenboom G, van de Borne P . Acute exposure to diesel exhaust impairs nitric oxide-mediated endothelial vasomotor function by increasing endothelial oxidative stress. Hypertension. 2013; 62(2):352-8. DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.00991. View

Schikowski T, Schaffner E, Meier F, Phuleria H, Vierkotter A, Schindler C . Improved air quality and attenuated lung function decline: modification by obesity in the SAPALDIA cohort. Environ Health Perspect. 2013; 121(9):1034-9. PMC: 3764076. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1206145. View

Liao D, Cai J, Rosamond W, BARNES R, Hutchinson R, Whitsel E . Cardiac autonomic function and incident coronary heart disease: a population-based case-cohort study. The ARIC Study. Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1997; 145(8):696-706. DOI: 10.1093/aje/145.8.696. View

de Hartog J, Lanki T, Timonen K, Hoek G, Janssen N, Ibald-Mulli A . Associations between PM2.5 and heart rate variability are modified by particle composition and beta-blocker use in patients with coronary heart disease. Environ Health Perspect. 2009; 117(1):105-11. PMC: 2627852. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.11062. View

Griffiths C, Gately P, Marchant P, Cooke C . A five year longitudinal study investigating the prevalence of childhood obesity: comparison of BMI and waist circumference. Public Health. 2013; 127(12):1090-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2013.09.020. View

Tsuji H, Larson M, Venditti Jr F, Manders E, Evans J, Feldman C . Impact of reduced heart rate variability on risk for cardiac events. The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 1996; 94(11):2850-5. DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.94.11.2850. View

10.

Schneider A, Neas L, Graff D, Herbst M, Cascio W, Schmitt M . Association of cardiac and vascular changes with ambient PM2.5 in diabetic individuals. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2010; 7:14. PMC: 2896918. DOI: 10.1186/1743-8977-7-14. View

11.

Puett R, Hart J, Yanosky J, Paciorek C, Schwartz J, Suh H . Chronic fine and coarse particulate exposure, mortality, and coronary heart disease in the Nurses' Health Study. Environ Health Perspect. 2010; 117(11):1697-701. PMC: 2801178. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0900572. View

12.

Schneider A, Neas L, Herbst M, Case M, Williams R, Cascio W . Endothelial dysfunction: associations with exposure to ambient fine particles in diabetic individuals. Environ Health Perspect. 2008; 116(12):1666-74. PMC: 2599761. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.11666. View

13.

Matsuda M, Shimomura I . Roles of adiponectin and oxidative stress in obesity-associated metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2013; 15(1):1-10. DOI: 10.1007/s11154-013-9271-7. View

14.

Delfino R, Tjoa T, Gillen D, Staimer N, Polidori A, Arhami M . Traffic-related air pollution and blood pressure in elderly subjects with coronary artery disease. Epidemiology. 2010; 21(3):396-404. PMC: 3872093. DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181d5e19b. View

15.

Sun Q, Wang A, Jin X, Natanzon A, Duquaine D, Brook R . Long-term air pollution exposure and acceleration of atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation in an animal model. JAMA. 2006; 294(23):3003-10. DOI: 10.1001/jama.294.23.3003. View

16.

Weichenthal S, Godri-Pollitt K, Villeneuve P . PM2.5, oxidant defence and cardiorespiratory health: a review. Environ Health. 2013; 12:40. PMC: 3652795. DOI: 10.1186/1476-069X-12-40. View

17.

Hoffmann B, Moebus S, Dragano N, Stang A, Mohlenkamp S, Schmermund A . Chronic residential exposure to particulate matter air pollution and systemic inflammatory markers. Environ Health Perspect. 2009; 117(8):1302-8. PMC: 2721876. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.0800362. View

18.

Dong G, Qian Z, Liu M, Wang D, Ren W, Fu Q . Obesity enhanced respiratory health effects of ambient air pollution in Chinese children: the Seven Northeastern Cities study. Int J Obes (Lond). 2012; 37(1):94-100. DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2012.125. View

19.

. Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996; 93(5):1043-65. View

20.

Danesh J, Wheeler J, Hirschfield G, Eda S, Eiriksdottir G, Rumley A . C-reactive protein and other circulating markers of inflammation in the prediction of coronary heart disease. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350(14):1387-97. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa032804. View