Air Pollution Exposure Tied to Increase in Sedentary Behavior

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 Journal of Public Health. 

Jonathan Goldney, from University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the associations between long-term particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), ≤10 μm (PM10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) 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. 

The researchers found that PM2.5, NO₂, and PM10 were not associated with change in MVPA or steps. However, there was an association between PM2.5, NO₂, and PM10 with change in SED, with a 1-ugm⁻³ increase associated with 6.38, 1.52, and 4.48 adjusted annual change in daily minutes, respectively. 

"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." 

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