Authors say air pollution may create feedback loop, increasing risk for chronic disease<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Jan. 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Long-term exposure to air pollution is tied to an increase in sedentary behavior (SED) among people at risk for diabetes, according to a study published online Dec. 16 in the\u00a0Journal of Public Health<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jonathan Goldney, from University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the associations between long-term particulate matter with diameter \u00e2\u0089\u00a42.5 \u00ce\u00bcm (PM2.5), \u00e2\u0089\u00a410 \u00ce\u00bcm (PM10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2<\/sub>) and annual change in accelerometer-measured SED, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and steps in 644 adults at risk for type 2 diabetes participating in the Walking Away from Type 2 Diabetes trial.\u00a0<\/p>\n The researchers found that PM2.5, NO2<\/sub>, and PM10 were not associated with change in MVPA or steps. However, there was an association between PM2.5, NO2<\/sub>, and PM10 with change in SED, with a 1-ugm\u00e2\u0088\u00923 <\/sup>increase associated with 6.38, 1.52, and 4.48 adjusted annual change in daily minutes, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Levels of air pollution may affect people s ability to exercise, or their enjoyment of exercise,” Goldney said in a statement. “It may also be considered a risk factor for increasing levels of sedentary behavior by encouraging sitting time indoors and discouraging active time outdoors, further increasing the risk of chronic disease in a feedback loop.”\u00a0<\/p>\n