We aimed to examine PM 2.5 exposure, blood pressure (SBP and DBP) measurement, hypertension risk factors and to assess the association between PM 2.5 exposure and hypertension among young adults.The mean SBP was 117.78 mmHg, with 11.22% high-normal blood pressure (prehypertension) and 2.51% hypertension (≥ 140 mmHg). DBP was 75.48 mmHg with 26.37% prehypertension and 4.53% hypertension (≥ 90 mmHg). The median PM 2.5 in the past year was 31.79 µg/m 3 , with highest in winter (49.33 µg/m 3 ), followed by spring (37.34 µg/m 3 ), autumn (29.64 µg/m 3 ) and summer (24.33 µg/m 3 ).

We aimed to examine PM2.5 exposure, blood pressure (SBP and DBP) measurement, hypertension risk factors and to assess the association between PM2.5 exposure and hypertension among young adults. The mean SBP was 117.78 mmHg, with 11.22% high-normal blood pressure (prehypertension) and 2.51% hypertension (≥ 140 mmHg). DBP was 75.48 mmHg with 26.37% prehypertension and 4.53% hypertension (≥ 90 mmHg). The median PM2.5 in the past year was 31.79 µg/m3, with highest in winter (49.33 µg/m3), followed by spring (37.34 µg/m3), autumn (29.64 µg/m3) and summer (24.33 µg/m3). Blood pressure was positively correlated with age, height, weight, BMI, daily smoking, alcohol consumption, mental stress and stay-up in the past 1 year. After adjustment for the covariates, each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with SBP (Day 1 = 1.07 mmHg, Day 3 = 1.25 mmHg, Day 5 = 1.01 mmHg) and DBP (Day 1 = 1.06 mmHg, Day 3 = 1.28 mmHg, Day 5 = 1.29 mmHg, Day 15 = 0.87 mmHg, Day 30 = 0.56 mmHg). Exposure in winter was associated with 1.17 mmHg increase in SBP. Logistic models showed for every 1 µg/m3 increase of PM2.5, SBP in Day 1 and Day 5 was increased by 6% and 4%, and DPB by 3% and 16%, respectively. SBP was increased by 13% in spring and 7% in winter, and DBP was increased by 12% in winter. Our data suggest a certain prevalence of pre- or hypertension among young population, which is associated with short-term fluctuation and season-specific exposure of PM2.5.