Ambient air pollution exposure and the risk of probable sarcopenia: A prospective cohort study

Sarcopenia is characterized by decreased muscle mass and strength, posing threat to quality of life. Air pollutants are increasingly recognized as risk factors for diseases, while the relationship between the two remains to be elucidated. This study investigated whether exposure to ambient air pollution contributes to the development of sarcopenia.

We employed the data from the UK Biobank with 303,031 eligible participants. Concentrations of PM_2·5, NO₂, and NO_x were estimated. Cox proportional hazard regression models were applied to investigate the associations between pollutants and sarcopenia.

30,766 probable sarcopenia cases was identified during the follow-up. We observed that exposure to PM_2.5 (HR, 1.232; 95% CI, 1.053-1.440), NO₂ (HR, 1.055; 95% CI, 1.032-1.078) and NO_x (HR, 1.016; 95% CI, 1.007-1.026) were all significantly associated with increased risk for probable sarcopenia for each 10 μg/m³ increase in pollutant concentration. In comparison with individuals in the lowest quartiles of exposure, those in the upper quartiles had significantly increased risk of probable sarcopenia. Sarcopenia-related factors, e.g., reduced lean muscle mass, diminished walking pace, and elevated muscle fat infiltration ratio, also exhibited positive associations with exposure to ambient air pollution. On the contrary, high level physical activity significantly mitigated the influence of air pollutants on the development of probable sarcopenia.

Air pollution exposure elevated the risk of developing sarcopenia and related manifestations in a dose-dependent manner, while physical activity maintained protective under this circumstance. Efforts should be made to control air pollution and emphasize the importance of physical activity for skeletal muscle health under this circumstance.