Association of Air Pollution With Adiposity Rates in Active Runners and Inactive People

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Human Physiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Air pollution (AP) is a growing concern with potential health implications.
• Adiposity, particularly visceral fat, is linked to various chronic diseases.
• Understanding the relationship between AP and adiposity is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between long-term air pollution exposure and adiposity (visceral and body fat).
• To examine these associations in both active (runners) and inactive individuals.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 945 participants (505 males, 440 females).
• Measured adiposity using fat mass index (FMI) and visceral fat (VFA) via dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
• Assessed long-term exposure to air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, BaP) and analyzed physical activity, diet, and cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O2peak) as covariates.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between long-term air pollution exposure and increased adiposity (p > 0.05).
• Age, sex, and cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O2peak) were significantly associated with visceral fat (VFA) (p < 0.05).
• Higher V̇O2peak was strongly linked to lower FMI (p = 0.000).

Conclusions:

• Adiposity was not associated with air pollution in the studied population.
• Lifestyle factors, particularly cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O2peak), were the primary determinants of adiposity.