Effects of cold and hot temperature on metabolic indicators in adults from a prospective cohort study

Background: Previous studies have found that exposed to low and high outdoor temperature was associated with cardiovascular diseases morbidity and mortality. The risk factors for cardiovascular disease include high blood lipid, high uric acid (UA) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG). However, few studies have explored the effects of low and high temperature on these metabolic indicators. Objective: To explore the effect of low and high temperature on metabolic indicators in adults from northwest of China. Results: A nonlinear relationship between outdoor temperature and metabolic indicators was found. For the cold effects, each 5 degrees C decrease of mean temperature was associated with an increase of 5.07% (95%CI: 352%, 6.63%) in TG and 2.85% (95% CI: 2.18%, 3.53%) in UA, While a decrease of 338% (95% CI: 2.67%, 4.09%) in HDL-C and 1.26% (95% CI: 0.48%, 2.04%) in LDL-C. For the heat effects, each 5 degrees C increase in mean temperature was associated with 1.82% (95% CI: 0.89%, 2.76%), 0.56% (95% CI: 0.11%, 1.00%), 5.82% (95% CI: 4.58%, 7.06%), 9.02% (95% CI: 7.17%, 10.87%), 0.20% (95% CI: 0.01%, 0.40%), and 1.22% (95% CI: 0.19%, 2.24%) decrease in TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, UA and FPG. Age, smoking, drinking, high-oil diet and hyperlipidemia might modify the association between mean temperature and metabolic indicators. Conclusion: There was a significant effect of cold and hot temperature on metabolic indicators in a high altitude area of northwestern China. These results provide a basis for understanding the underlying mechanism of the influence of temperature on metabolic diseases. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study found a nonlinear relationship between outdoor temperature and metabolic indicators. In cold effects, a decrease in mean temperature was associated with increases in triglycerides and uric acid, and decreases in HDL-C and LDL-C. In heat effects, an increase in mean temperature was associated with decreases in TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, UA, and FPG. Age, smoking, drinking, high-oil diet, and hyperlipidemia may modify the association between mean temperature and metabolic indicators.