High Exposure to air pollution Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk in Urban India

A recent study conducted in urban Chennai and Delhi, India, sheds light on the potential health impact of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This study was published in BMJ Diabetes Research and Care by Siddhartha M. and colleagues.

The research, focusing on 12,064 participants, establishes a temporal association between elevated PM2.5 levels and higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and an increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study emphasizes the significance of this association in regions with high air pollution levels like India.

The study utilized a meta-analytic approach, combining estimates from mixed-effects models and proportional hazards models in urban Chennai and Delhi. The objective was to investigate the links between ambient PM2.5 levels and diabetes-related markers, providing insights into the potential impact of air pollution on metabolic health.

A 10 μg/m3 increase in monthly average PM2.5 exposure was associated with a 0.40 mg/dL rise in FPG and a 0.021 unit increase in HbA1c. A 10 μg/m3 difference in annual average PM2.5 correlated with a 1.22 times increased risk of incident T2DM, with a non-linear exposure response.