Lab experiments on white rats have shown that air pollution can lead to obesity

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Air pollution and obesity are both serious problems faced by people in modern cities. Previously, the damage caused by air pollution to the lungs had already been recognized, and numerous studies provided clear evidence; as a result, scientists sought to explore other potential effects it might have on the body. Overweight and obesity, which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cerebral infarcts by many times, have become an increasingly important public health issue. “In addition to dietary and exercise factors, we also want to explore whether there are other factors that contribute to obesity; air pollution is one of the potential causes we are examining. ” Zhang Junfeng, the lead author of the study and professor of global environmental health at Duke Kunshan University and Duke University in the United States, told Cai Xin reporters. In this study published in the latest issue of the FASEB Journal, Zhang Junfeng and his colleagues divided pregnant mice and their offspring into two groups, exposing them respectively to the heavily polluted outdoor air in Beijing and to air that had most of the pollutants filtered out. The experimental results showed that although the diet of both groups of mice was exactly the same, compared to their peers breathing clean air, the mice exposed to polluted air were significantly heavier by the end of pregnancy. The same results were observed in the offspring born by these mice in repeated experiments. The increase in weight is mainly reflected in a significant increase in abdominal fat. Zhang Junfeng believes that organ inflammation caused by air pollution, as well as metabolic disorders such as diabetes, are factors that contribute to weight gain. Compared to the control group, pregnant mice exposed to polluted air exhibited more severe inflammation in their lung and liver tissues after 19 days, higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and total serum cholesterol, as well as higher levels of insulin resistance, which is a precursor indicator for type 2 diabetes. “Since chronic inflammation is recognized as one of the factors contributing to obesity, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes are also highly associated with obesity, our research findings provide clear evidence for the theory that long-term exposure to polluted air increases the risk of obesity. ”Zhang Junfeng said. Fortunately, these effects are merely acute reactions of air pollution on the human body, and they can be reversed as air quality improves. Another interesting fact reflected in the experimental data is that mice breathing polluted air actually consumed more food. Zhang Junfeng believes that inflammation in the liver and lungs caused by air pollution may lead to difficulty breathing in mice, requiring them to consume more energy. At present, these experimental results still need to be further verified in humans. However, some epidemiological studies have examined environmental factors, including air pollution, and their relationship to the incidence of obesity. Andrew Rundell of Columbia University has been studying children living in the Bronx since the fetal stage, and found that the obesity rate among children in the most polluted areas is 2.3 times higher than that in areas with cleaner environments. The 2015 \"China Obesity Index\" also showed that in the northern regions where air pollution is more severe, the obesity rate is significantly higher than in the south; Hebei Province had the highest obesity rate in the country, at 41.9%. Zhang Junfeng believes that diet and exercise play a dominant role, while an individual’s susceptibility and genes also have a significant impact. “From a biological perspective, it is entirely possible that air pollution contributes to an increase in obesity rates, but more rigorous research is needed to prove this. ”