Long-Term Air Pollution Exposures on Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence and Medication Use (Hygiene and Environmental Health Advances)

Summary: Type 2 diabetes has raised great public health concerns due to its association with the increased risk of several adverse health outcomes. Authors aimed to investigate the association of criteria air pollutants and traffic density with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and antidiabetic medication use in California.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data, linked with criteria air pollutant exposure measures, including government-monitored ozone (O₃), particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), residential traffic density, and land use regression modeled NO_X, NO, and NO₂ estimates for Los Angeles County only based on the respondents’ geocoded residential addresses. Researchers examine the influences of 36-month average exposures to each air pollutant and traffic density on diabetes prevalence and medication use.

Findings: Among 31,483 CHIS 2005 statewide respondents, 6.7% of adults reported having been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Authors observed type 2 diabetes prevalence was positively associated with exposures to O₃, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5, and with NO, NO₂, and NO_x only in Los Angeles County. This study adds to evidence indicating greater air pollution exposure is associated with increased diabetes prevalence. It also provides new evidence demonstrating a strong association between pollutant exposure and antidiabetic medication use in adult Californians.

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• Journal Article: Long-Term Air Pollution Exposures on Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence and Medication Use