Many factors contribute to a person’s weight, including genetics, muscle mass, diet, physical activity, and the environment. New research suggests that air pollution contributes to women’s weight gain unexpectedly.
There was a direct correlation between air pollution exposure and obesity risk for women. There was an increase in body fat of 4.5% or about 2.6 pounds in women exposed to air pollution. Exposure to air pollution in the middle years is associated with a more significant body fat percentage, a larger proportion of fat, and a lower lean body mass.
Moreover, the researchers found that high physical activity levels effectively offset air pollution exposure and influence body composition.
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A research investigator from the Department of Epidemiology, Xin Wang, says he and his team want to identify and study “modifiable risk factors, including exposure to environmental pollutants,” to locate obese people.
As Wang points out, air pollution plays a role in obesity. He says, “If we look at history, it is not hard to find that the fast rise in obesity prevalence has paralleled the increasing exposure to environmental pollutants.”
Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford is an obesity medicine physician who points out that air pollution can increase obesity risks because it keeps people indoors. Standford said, “Research shows that air pollution may lead to metabolic dysfunction, meaning it affects your metabolism and how your body stores cholesterol.”
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There is a correlation between exercise and reducing weight and the overall health benefits of exercise.
Despite Stanford’s warning, air pollution is not the only cause of obesity. She said, “obesity is a complex, multifactorial relapsing-remitting disease. Everyone that has obesity may have it for a variety of different reasons.”
In addition, Wang notes that the study was focused on a specific population – midlife women exposed to a unique type of air pollution. Thus, it isn’t possible to generalize the findings.
Wang said, “However, our findings call for more studies, especially those with high exposed population, to confirm the association between air pollution and obesity.”