Jul 2026· Theoretical and Natural Science· Vol 178, pp. 184-189· 0 citations
TL;DR
A significant causal relationship between long-term PM exposure and elevated prevalence and mortality of T2DM is confirmed and populations susceptible to diabetes are recommended to take targeted measures to reduce air pollution exposure.
Abstract
Global urbanization and increasing energy consumption have caused widespread PM₂.₅ pollution. Accumulating evidence indicates long-term PM₂.₅ exposure correlates with elevated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. This study was conducted based on prospective cohort designs, with a systematic literature search performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and other major academic databases. By integrating high-quality published evidence and rigorously minimizing biases from residual confounding, reverse causality, and exposure measurement error, this study systematically evaluates the causal effect of PM₂.₅ exposure on T2DM. The results confirmed a significant causal relationship between long-term PM₂.₅ exposure and elevated prevalence and mortality of T2DM. Populations susceptible to diabetes are recommended to take targeted measures to reduce air pollution exposure. This study carries important theoretical and practical implications for the integrated prevention and control of chronic diseases, and provides robust scientific evidence for developing public health strategies to mitigate air pollution-related health risks and reduce the incidence of T2DM.
Long-term exposure to air pollutants, particularly NO2 and PM10, is associated with an increased risk of microvascular complications among individuals with diabetes, and the observed risk appears to be persistent and may begin at relatively low exposure levels, underscoring the need for preventive strategies targeting environmental risk factors.
The study on DM-2 incidence does not support the previously identified associations between environmental exposures and DM-2 prevalence, and a wide range of environmental exposures were not associated with DM-2 incidence.
A. P. Smit, B. Loef, J. Klompmaker et al.· Environmental Research· 0 citations
B baseline U-Cd levels were not independently associated with new-onset diabetes in this large longitudinal Asian cohort, suggesting that chronic Cd exposure may not be a significant risk factor for diabetes in this population.
Shing-Hsien Chou, Cheng-Wei Lin, Fu-Chih Hsiao et al.· Ecotoxicology and Environmen...· 0 citations
The deterioration of ambient air quality worldwide has intensified the need to examine the environmental factors associated with the growing burden of respiratory disease. This study aimed to identify broad patterns in the adverse effects of environmental exposures on the respiratory system, while accounting for regional variation and population-specific vulnerability. A systematic literature review was conducted between April and December 2024 using four international databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Seventy-one relevant publications were included in the final analysis. The findings indicate that, in India, concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of up to 10 μm (PM₁₀) and 2.5 μm (PM₂.₅) exceed recommended limits by a factor of 2.56. In Northern Thailand, reductions of 5.3%–34.3% in particulate matter concentrations were associated with significant declines in hospitalization rates. In China and South Africa, pollutant levels substantially exceed the World Health Organization guideline of 5 μg/m³, while national standards in some settings permit concentrations of up to 40 μg/m³, thereby increasing the risk of chronic inflammatory respiratory conditions. In Bogotá, Colombia, heavy traffic contributes to increased morbidity and mortality from respiratory complications. In Kyrgyzstan, seasonal variation and changes in vegetation patterns have been linked to a rise in allergic reactions, whereas in Slovakia, prolonged pollen seasons are associated with a higher prevalence of bronchial asthma. Children, particularly those under 5 years of age, older adults, and industrial workers were identified as the most vulnerable groups. Climate change further aggravates these risks by intensifying exposure to fine particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. The findings underscore the need for integrated policies focused on emission reduction, environmental monitoring, public awareness, and the harmonization of air-quality standards. The study provides evidence that may support cross-sectoral planning and the development of preventive strategies aimed at reducing the burden of acute and chronic respiratory disease.
Zhanibek Muratov, Aida Zotaj, A. Kalandarova et al.· Luna Azul· 0 citations
The findings demonstrated a consistent association between NO₂ exposure and an increased risk of hypertension, particularly in poorly ventilated work environments, and underscore the importance of improving workplace air quality management, strengthening exposure monitoring, and implementing preventive occupational health strategies.
Ayudhia Rachmawati, Morrin Choirunnisa Thohira, M. Fitrah et al.· International Journal of Pub...· 0 citations
Emerging evidence links air pollution exposure to metabolic dysfunction; however, few studies have examined diabetes-related mortality in relation to ambient air pollutants using high-resolution exposure data at the population level. In the United States, particularly in large and geographically diverse states such as California, exposure contrasts and population heterogeneity provide an important setting to evaluate these associations.
We conducted a matched case–control analysis using California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Vital Records (2010–2021). Diabetes-related mortality events (ICD-10 E11) were identified as primary or contributory causes. Decedents (cases) were geocoded to residential addresses, and one-year rolling averages of fine particulate matter (PM
2.5
) before death were assigned as individual exposures. Each death record was matched to its selected controls based on month and year of birth and race-ethnicity. Controls were identified from the same statewide CDPH mortality database and were eligible because they had not died by the corresponding case’s date of death. Because the number of eligible controls varied across matched strata, controls were randomly sampled within each matched stratum to achieve an overall control-to-case ratio of approximately 2:1 for the study population. The final dataset included 60,824 diabetes-related deaths and 119,053 controls. Exposures were standardized by their interquartile range (IQR) and conditional logistic regression models estimated associations between 1 year rolling average fine particulate matter (PM
2.5
) exposure and odds of diabetes-related mortality, adjusting for age, sex, race-ethnicity, marital status, and education. Nitrogen dioxide (NO
2
) was included as a co-pollutant for confounding control.
PM
2.5
exposure (per 2.65 μg/m
3
IQR increase) was associated with a 18% higher odds of diabetes-related mortality (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.15–1.22) before traffic indicator NO
2
adjustment and showed a stronger association with 21% higher odds (OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.17–1.25) after NO
2
adjustment. Health economics analysis estimated that reducing PM
2.5
exposure by its IQR could avoid losses of $31.2 million per 100,000 people.
Higher ambient PM
2.5
exposure was associated with increased odds of diabetes-related mortality in California even after adjustment for NO
2
and other impact factors. These findings support the need for continued strengthening of ambient air quality regulations.
Richy Zheng, Jason G. Su, E. Shahriary et al.· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations
