Premium
Obesity and the cardiovascular health effects of fine particulate air pollution
Author(s) -
Weichenthal Scott,
Hoppin Jane A.,
Reeves Francois
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.20748
Subject(s) - medicine , obesity , body mass index , cardiovascular health , epidemiology , cohort study , environmental health , cohort , prospective cohort study , blood pressure , public health , gerontology , disease , pathology
Objective This review examines evidence related to the potential impact of obesity on the cardiovascular health effects of fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5 ). Methods A PubMed search was conducted in December, 2013 and studies were included if they examined the relationship between PM 2.5 and cardiovascular health as well as effect modification by obesity. Results One hundred twenty‐one citations were reviewed; three large prospective cohort studies and 14 panel studies with short‐term follow‐up met the above criteria. All three cohort studies reported stronger associations between PM 2.5 and cardiovascular mortality among obese subjects and one reported a significant trend of increased risk with increased body mass index. Similarly, 11 of 14 panel studies reported stronger associations between PM 2.5 and acute changes in physiological measures of cardiovascular health among obese subjects including outcomes such as blood pressure and arrhythmia. Although interactions were not always statistically significant, the consistent pattern of stronger associations among obese subjects suggests that obesity may modify the impact of PM 2.5 on cardiovascular health. Conclusions Epidemiological evidence suggests that obesity may increase susceptibility to the cardiovascular health effects of PM 2.5 . This an important area of research as the public health impacts of air pollution could increase with increasing prevalence of obesity.