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Nexus between obesity, pollutants

Last Updated 28 November 2014, 16:39 IST

Exposure to secondhand smoke and roadway traffic may be tied to increased body mass index (BMI) in children and adolescents, a new study suggests.

Researchers studied 3,318 children in 12 southern California communities beginning at an average age of 10, and then followed them through age 18. They used parental questionnaires to establish exposure to smoking, and data on traffic volume and levels of
nitrogen dioxide, ozone and other particulars to track pollution.

The study, in Environmental Health Perspectives, controlled for many other factors: sex, initial BMI, asthma, physical activity, insurance status, parental education and income, acres of parks and open space nearby, percentage of people living in poverty in each community.

But even after accounting for these issues and more, they found that, compared with children exposed to no secondhand smoke or near-roadway air pollution, BMI was 0.8 higher in children exposed to pollution alone, 0.85 higher in those exposed to secondhand smoke alone, and 2.15 higher in those exposed to both.

A normal BMI for adults is 18.5 to 24.9. Higher than 25 is considered overweight, and over 30, obese. “It would be interesting to know more about the mechanism,” said the lead author, Dr Rob McConnell, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California.

“But the finding challenges the view that obesity is solely due to increased caloric intake and reduced physical activity. That’s not the whole story.”

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(Published 28 November 2014, 16:39 IST)

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