Air pollution-associated blood pressure may be modified by diet among children in Guangzhou, China

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the associations between long-term air pollution exposure and blood pressure in children, and to explore the modifying effects of diet on prehypertension and hypertension. Methods: We evaluated 7225 primary school children aged 6–12 years from Guangzhou, China, in 2017. The blood pressure was measured objectively. The individual 1-year average concentration of particles with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less or 10 μm or less (PM2.5, PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3) before each blood pressure measurement were calculated by inverse distance weighting interpolation according to each home address. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the health effects and potential effect modifications by diet factors after adjusting for covariates. Results: The results showed that the estimated increase in mean SBP was 0.92 mmHg (95% CI 0.05–1.79) per interquartile range increase in O3. An interquartile range increase in the 1-year mean of SO2 and O3 was associated with odds ratios of 1.26 (95% CI 1.04–1.52) and 1.20 (95% CI 1.06–1.35) for prehypertension, respectively. In addition, an interquartile range increase in PM2.5, SO2, and O3 exposure was positively associated with hypertension, with odds ratios of 1.33 (95% CI 1.11–1.61), 1.70 (95% CI 1.33–2.16), and 1.48 (95% CI 1.20–1.83), respectively. Stronger effect estimates between PM2.5, SO2, and O3 concentration on prehypertension were exhibited among subgroups of children with a higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to PM2.5, SO2, and O3 were associated with higher blood pressure levels in children, and dietary intake might modify these associations.

Interaction between plant-based dietary pattern and air pollution on cognitive function: a prospective cohort analysis of Chinese older adults

“…34 Potential benefits of the plant-based dietary pattern on various health outcomes induced by air pollution were also reported in other contexts. 35,36 Rich antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients from the plant-based dietary pattern may help explain how it could modify the association between long-term PM 2.5 exposure and cognitive function. First, the nutrients like unsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oil were related to lower risks of PM 2.5 associated cardiometabolic diseases, 14,37 through suppressing arrhythmias, modulating autonomic function, and its anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory effects.…”

“… 34 Potential benefits of the plant-based dietary pattern on various health outcomes induced by air pollution were also reported in other contexts. 35 , 36 …”

Air Pollution, Built Environment, and Early Cardiovascular Disease

“…Another study found that long-term exposure to PM 2.5 , SO 2 , and O 3 was associated with increased BP in ≈7000 elementary school children in China. 41 Exposure to a combination of SO 2 , O 3 , NO 2 , and PM 2.5 was also found to be associated with elevated systolic and diastolic BPs. [42][43][44][45][46] Several studies have also reported significant associations between PM 2.5 exposure during childhood and higher BPs or hypertension in adulthood during extended follow-up.…”

High-normal blood pressure (prehypertension) is associated with PM2.5 exposure in young adults

“…Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide. It is estimated that 17.8 million people die for it globally in 2017, among which hypertension is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is considered the most important cause of disability and death worldwide (Zhang et al, 2020). A recent study nds that compared with data in 1958 ~ 1959, 1979 ~ 1980, 1991, 2002 and 2012, the crude prevalence rate of hypertension among Chinese residents aged 18 years and above ranges from 18.0 to 44.7% between 2012 to 2015, and the overall prevalence is increasing (Yin et al, 2021).…”