Air Pollution Linked with Insulin Resistance in Children

Long-term exposure to pollution can lead to increase in the risk of insulin resistance in children, which is a precursor to type-2 diabetes, a new study has found.

Previous research has linked air pollution exposure with hardening of arteries. This study shows that even in children as young as 10 years old, exposure to pollution can lead to changes in metabolism, which can impact their health in the future.

The latest study included 397 10-year-olds. Researchers took their blood samples and found that children living in areas with higher levels of nitrogen dioxide had higher chances of developing insulin resistance. Researchers had accounted for other factors like socioeconomic status, birth weight and body mass index.

"Although toxicity differs between air pollutants, they are all considered potent oxidisers that act either directly on lipids and proteins or indirectly through the activation of intracellular oxidant pathways," said Joachim Heinrich from Helmholtz Zentrum in Munich, one of the study authors.

Nitrogen oxide is an odorless gas that irritates the eyes and nose. Long-term exposure to the gas can also lead to impaired lung function and asthma in young children.

"Oxidative stress caused by exposure to air pollutants may therefore play a role in the development of insulin resistance. In addition, some studies have reported that short-term and long-term increases in particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure lead to elevated inflammatory biomarkers, another potential mechanism for insulin resistance," Heinrich added in a news release.

The study is published in the journal Diabetologia.                                                                    

A recent study from University of Granada had found that air pollution, pesticides in food and water can increase risk of diabetes type-2 in adults.