Early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution and child anthropometry

Early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution may decrease fetal growth and increase childhood obesity risk. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship of early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution with birthweight in term newborns and obesity at age 7-8 years in two prospective birth cohorts in Cincinnati, OH (the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study and Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS)).

We estimated elemental carbon attributable to traffic (ECAT) exposure at residential addresses during pregnancy with a validated land use regression model. We assessed birthweight among term infants using birth records or parent report (HOME Study n= 333 and CCAAPS n=590). We measured children's weight and height at 7-8 years, and calculated age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores (HOME Study n= 198 and CCAAPS n=459). Using multivariable linear regression, we estimated the difference in term birthweight and BMI z-score per interquartile range (IQR) increase in ECAT concentrations in each cohort separately and in the pooled sample.

In adjusted models, ECAT exposure was not associated with lower birthweight (pooled sample β: 30g; 95% CI: -6, 66), or with higher BMI z-score (pooled sample β: -0.04; 95% CI: -0.15, 0.08). Infant sex modified the association between ECAT and birthweight (p=0.05). Among male newborns, higher ECAT concentrations were associated with higher birthweight (β: 61g; 95% CI: 9, 113), but we observed no association among female newborns (β: -9g; 95% CI: -58, 41).

In contrast to some prior studies, early-life traffic-related air pollution exposure was not associated with lower birthweight or increased childhood adiposity in these two cohorts.