Long-term and short-term exposure to outdoor air pollution and its association with glycolipid metabolic disorders - Prospective Study

Sep 28, 2026

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Background: The link between ambient air pollution and glycolipid metabolic disorders (GMDs, including diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia) remains incompletely understood, especially regarding differences between long-term and short-term exposure and indoor versus outdoor pollutant sources. Aim: To evaluate how outdoor particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) and ozone relate to GMD risk in a national-representative cohort. Methods: A longitudinal cohort design used 5-year averages for long-term and 1-year averages for short-term exposure, applying multivariable logistic regression. Results: Outdoor pollutants and PM2.5 chemical components showed dose-dependent associations with increased diabetes and dyslipidemia risk. Conclusion: Outdoor exposure, especially long-term, indicates greater metabolic toxicity than short-term exposure.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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| W | J | D | World Journal of
Diabetes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | Submit a Manuscript: [https://www.f6publishing.com](https://www.f6publishing.com) World J Diabetes 2025 December 15; 16(12): 110028 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i12.110028 ISSN 1948-9358 (online) ORIGINAL ARTICLE Prospective Study Long-term and short-term exposure to outdoor air pollution and its association with glycolipid metabolic disorders Chang Zhou, Gao-Yuan Cui, Yi-Hu Tang, Wu-Yang Zhang, Xue-Lun Zou Specialty type: Endocrinology and metabolism Provenance and peer review: Unsolicited article; Externally peer reviewed. Peer-review model: Single blind Peer-review report’s classification Scientific Quality: Grade B, Grade C, Grade C Novelty: Grade B, Grade B, Grade B Creativity or Innovation: Grade B, Grade B, Grade C Scientific Significance: Grade B, Grade B, Grade B P-Reviewer: Ling YW, PhD, United States; Xin YJ, PhD, Assistant Professor, China Received: May 28, 2025 Revised: July 25, 2025 Accepted: November 13, 2025 Published online: December 15, 2025 Processing time: 201 Days and 19.7 Hours Chang Zhou, Department of Oncology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China Gao-Yuan Cui, Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China Yi-Hu Tang, Department of Emergency, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China Wu-Yang Zhang, Clinical Skills Training Center, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China Xue-Lun Zou, Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China Corresponding author: Xue-Lun Zou, PhD, Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China. [1609941099@qq.com](1609941099@qq.com) Abstract BACKGROUND The association between ambient air pollution and glycolipid metabolic disorders (GMDs, including diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia) is still not well understood, especially when it comes to the different effects of long-term vs short-term exposure and the sources of pollutants (indoor or outdoor) . AIM To look at how outdoor particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) and ozone (O3), as well as indoor pollutants from solid fuels, are related to the risk of developing GMDs in a cohort that represents the national population. METHODS We used a longitudinal cohort design to look at how different time periods of air pollution exposure (long-term: 5-year averages; short-term: 1-year averages) affect the incidence of GMDs in middle-aged and elderly adults. Multivariable logistic regression models, which took into account key factors such as age, sex, and smoking status, were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) . WJD [https://www.wjgnet.com](https://www.wjgnet.com) 1 December 15, 2025 Volume 16 Issue 12 Zhou C et al. Air pollution and GMDs RESULTS Our study found that exposure to air pollution (1 μg/m3) has different effects on GMDs. Long-term exposure to outdoor pollutants like PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and O3 consistently increased the risk of diabetes (PM1: OR = 1.106, 95%CI: 1.018-1.205; PM2.5: OR = 1.038, 95%CI: 1.007-1.071; PM10: OR = 1.023, 95%CI: 1.004-1.043) and dyslipidemia (PM1: OR = 1.150, 95%CI: 1.064-1.249; PM2.5: OR = 1.053, 95%CI: 1.023-1.086; PM10: OR = 1.032, 95%CI: 1.014-1.052) . Short-term exposure showed even stronger associations, particularly for PM1 with dyslipidemia (OR = 1.078, 95%CI: 1.044- 1.114) and PM1 with diabetes (OR = 1.047, 95%CI: 1.007-1.089). Notably, certain components of PM2.5-chloride (Cl-), ammonium (NH4+), sulfate (SO42-), and nitrate (NO3-) -showed a dose-dependent relationship with both conditions (for example, Cl-: Diabetes OR = 1.797 per 1 μg/m3, 95%CI: 1.086-2.991; dyslipidemia OR = 2.627, 95%CI

FAQs

What was the study aiming to determine?

The study assessed how outdoor particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) and ozone relate to the risk of developing glycolipid metabolic disorders in a cohort representing the national population.

How were long-term and short-term exposures defined?

Long-term exposure was defined using 5-year averages, while short-term exposure used 1-year averages of air pollution.

What did the results show about indoor solid fuel pollutants?

Neither long-term nor short-term exposure to indoor solid fuel pollutants showed significant associations with diabetes or dyslipidemia.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai