Long-term Air Pollution and Overall and Regional Body Composition in Older Adults With Overweight or Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome
Authors' conclusion
Long-term air pollution exposure was adversely associated with body composition over 3 years. Results indicate air pollution is associated with fat accumulation and lean mass loss in metabolically vulnerable older adults.
Study context
- Population
- Older adults (aged 54–75 years; 48% female) with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome, PREDIMED-Plus trial, Spain, recruited 2013–2016
- Participants
- 1,454 adults
- Exposure
- Per 1 × 10-5/m increase in black carbon (BC)
- Outcome
- Total fat mass, visceral fat mass and lean mass (DXA)
- Follow-up
- Baseline, 1 and 3 years
Methodological detailslinear mixed-effect regression models, DXA at baseline, 1 and 3 years, exposure at baseline residential address at 100 m resolution
- Linear mixed-effect regression models
- DXA at baseline, 1 and 3 years
- Exposure at baseline residential address at 100 m resolution
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Body composition per 1 × 10-5/m increase in BC · baseline
Body fat percentage, higher
1.01%
95% CI 0.31–1.71
Lean mass percentage, lower
−0.97%
95% CI −1.64 to −0.30
Lean mass, lower
−0.74 kg
95% CI −1.37 to −0.12
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Persistence over follow-up · years 1 and 3
- Associations persisted in years 1 and 3 for BC and PM2.5
Visceral fat mass, by age
- Associations with visceral fat mass observed only in participants <65 years
Subgroups by sex and physical activity
- Associations did not meaningfully differ by sex or physical activity
Original publication
Long-term Air Pollution and Overall and Regional Body Composition in Older Adults With Overweight or Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. Diabetes Care. Published 21 April 2026. doi:10.
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