A study of more than 5,800 mother-child pairs in China showed that increased exposure to air pollution in the months before pregnancy was associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and obesity in children from birth to two years. associated with risk factors.
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The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that an increase of 16.2 micrograms per cubic meter in PM2.5 levels during the prenatal period – three months before conception – was associated with a 0.078 increase in the child’s BMIZ at two years of age. .
The BMIZ, or body mass index Z-score, is used to compare a child’s BMI to the BMI of peers of the same age and sex.
Dangers of pollution before pregnancy
Researchers from the US and China recruited mother-child pairs from maternity clinics in Shanghai to understand how exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and nitrous oxide pollution before conception affects children’s development in the first two years of life. But what was the impact?
The team also found that an increase of 21.1 micrograms per cubic meter in PM10 pollution was associated with a 0.093 increase in the child’s BMI at two years of age.
Additionally, from six months of age onwards, weight, BMI and BMIZ growth rates were found to be higher in children exposed to higher levels of pollution before conception. Air pollution exposure at participants’ home addresses was estimated using satellite data, pollutant modeling, and meteorological factors.
“The magnitude is small, but because air pollution is widespread and everyone is exposed to it, children’s risk of obesity may be quite large, and it may also affect their mothers,” said senior author Zhanghua Chen, assistant professor of population and public health. “Can begin before pregnancy.” Science at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, US, said.
Pregnant women’s exposure to air pollution has negative effects on children’s health, such as respiratory problems and a higher risk of chronic diseases including obesity and heart disease.
However, some studies have looked at preconception – researchers said environmental exposures during this period may affect the health of sperm and eggs, which are in the final stages of development.
“These findings suggest that the three months before conception are critical and that people who are planning to have children should take measures to reduce air pollution exposure to reduce the risk of obesity in their children.” should consider,” said first author Jiawen Liao, a postdoctoral research associate in population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine.
Although the study is observational and could not establish a cause-and-effect link, the researchers suggested measures to reduce potential harm, including wearing a mask, using an air purifier and staying indoors as much as possible when outdoor air quality is poor. Staying involved.
