The Association between Childhood Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic; 340 million of children and adolescents were overweight or obese in 2016, and this number continues to grow at a rapid rate. Epidemiological research has suggested that air pollution affects childhood obesity and weight status, but the current evidence remains inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the effects of childhood exposure to air pollutants on weight. A total of four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for publications up to December 31, 2021, and finally 15 studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Merged odds ratios (ORs), coefficients (beta), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) that were related to air pollutants were estimated using a random-effects model. The meta-analysis indicated that air pollutants were correlated with childhood obesity and weight gain. For obesity, the association was considerable for PM10 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.18), PM2.5 (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.45), PM1 (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.53), and NO2 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.18). Similarly, BMI status increased by 0.08 (0.03-0.12), 0.11 (0.05-0.17), and 0.03 (0.01-0.04) kg/m(2) with 10 mu g/m(3) increment in exposure to PM10, PM2.5, and NO2. In summary, air pollution can be regarded as a probable risk factor for the weight status of children and adolescents. The next step is to conduct longer-term and large-scale studies on different population subgroups, exposure concentrations, and pollutant combinations to provide detailed evidence. Meanwhile, integrated management of air pollution is essential.

Automated summary

Research indicates that childhood exposure to air pollutants is associated with obesity and weight gain, particularly for PM10, PM2.5, PM1, and NO2. Further studies should be conducted to consider different population subgroups, exposure concentrations, and combinations of pollutants to provide more detailed evidence.