Associations of preconception air pollution exposure with growth trajectory in young children: A prospective cohort
Jiawen Liao1, Weili Yan2, Yi Zhang2
1Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Insights
Preconception exposure to air pollution, including PM2.5 and PM10, is linked to increased childhood obesity risk. The three months before conception represent a critical window influencing a child's weight trajectory.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Gestational exposure to air pollution is linked to childhood obesity.
- The impact of air pollution during the preconception period on child development remains understudied.
- The preconception phase is a critical window for environmental exposures to influence growth and obesity risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of preconception air pollution exposure on childhood weight and BMI growth trajectories.
- To identify critical time windows of air pollution exposure.
- To assess the association between specific air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2) and child growth outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Population-based prospective cohort study in Shanghai, China.
- Inclusion of preconception women and their children followed until 2 years of age.
- Estimation of air pollution exposure (PM2.5, PM10, NO2) using spatiotemporal models and assessment of child weight and BMI at regular intervals.
- Application of multivariate and longitudinal models (piecewise linear mixed effects) to analyze growth trajectories.
Main Results:
- Increased preconception PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher attained BMIZ at age two.
- Increased preconception PM10 exposure was associated with higher attained BMI at age two.
- Higher weight, BMI, and BMIZ growth rates were linked to preconception NO2 and PM exposure.
- Specific subgroups (males, younger mothers, mothers with overweight/obesity) showed greater susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- The three-month preconception period is a critical window for air pollution exposure impacting child weight.
- Preconception air pollution exposure contributes to childhood obesity risk.
- Further research and public health interventions are warranted to mitigate these risks.
Abstract:
Gestational air pollution exposure was associated with childhood obesity. However, little is known about the effect of air pollution exposure during the preconception period, a critical window when environmental exposures may affect body growth trajectory and increase obesity risk. We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study of preconception women and their newborn children followed until 2 years old from metropolitan Shanghai, China to investigate the impact of preconception air pollution on childhood weight and body mass index (BMI) growth trajectories. Exposures to PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 during 3 months before conception and each trimester of pregnancy were estimated using high-resolution spatiotemporal models matched at residential addresses. Children's weight and BMI were assessed postnatally every three months. Multivariate and longitudinal models with piecewise linear mixed effects were used to examine the relationship between preconception air pollution and child growth trajectories of weight, BMI, and standardized BMI (BMIZ). The study population comprised 26,714 women in the baseline enrolled in preconception clinics and 5,834 children reached 2 years included in the analysis with 34,398 longitudinal weight and height measurements. One interquartile range (IQR) increase in preconception PM2.5 (16.2 μg/m3) was associated with a 0.078 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.002-0.154, p = 0.04) increase in attained BMIZ and 1 IQR increase of PM10 (21.1 μg/m3) were associated with an 0.093 (95% CI: 0.002-0.184, p = 0.04) kg/m2 increase in attained BMI, respectively, at the age of two years, after controlling for individual covariates and gestational air pollution exposure. Higher weight, BMI, and BMIZ growth rates during 6-24 months of life were also associated with higher preconception NO2 and PM exposure. Males and children born to mothers less than 35 years old or with overweight/obesity status were more affected by preconception air pollution exposure on weight growth. The 3-month preconception period was a critical time window for air pollution exposure.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:47Lung Capacity
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
01:10Nature and Nurture
01:36Types of Toxins
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
01:20Gene-Environment Interactions
02:59Cancer Prevention
Some...