We found modest positive associations between air pollution exposure from traffic during infancy and asthma in children during the first 12 years of life, with stronger effects suggested for nonallergic asthma.
BackgroundMaternal obesity has been linked to offspring asthma; however, other allergy-related diseases, as well as the association beyond early school age, are largely unstudied.ObjectiveTo examine the associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) in pregnancy and offspring asthma, rhinitis, eczema and sensitization up to 16 years of age.MethodsA total of 3294 children from the Swedish birth cohort BAMSE were included in the analyses. Maternal BMI was assessed around week 10 in pregnancy. Information on asthma, rhinitis, eczema, lifestyle factors and environmental exposures was obtained by parental questionnaires at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 years. Sensitization was defined from IgE levels of inhalant allergens at 4, 8 and 16 years in a subsample of 2850 children. Generalized estimated equation models were used to analyse the associations between maternal BMI and the outcomes at 1–16 years.ResultsMaternal BMI was positively associated with overall risk of asthma up to age of 16 years (adj OR per 5 kg/m2 increase: 1.23; 95% CI 1.07–1.40 for prevalent asthma) excluding underweight mothers. In contrast, no significant associations were found for rhinitis, eczema or sensitization. The association with asthma was restricted to obese, rather than overweight mothers, but was attenuated when adjusting for overweight in the offspring. A causal inference test at 16 years further indicated that the child’s own overweight is a mediator in the suggested association between maternal BMI and offspring asthma at 16 years.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceMaternal BMI is associated with an increased risk of asthma, but not rhinitis, eczema or sensitization; however, overweight in the offspring seems to have a mediating role. Prevention strategies of maternal pre-pregnancy and childhood obesity might be important to reduce the prevalence of childhood asthma.
Background: Recent studies have reported associations between air pollution exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders in children, but the role of pre-and postnatal exposure has not been elucidated. Aim: We aimed to explore the risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children in relation to pre-and postnatal exposure to air pollution from road traffic. Methods: Parents of 3,426 twins born in Stockholm during 1992-2000 were interviewed, when their children were 9 or 12 years old, for symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders. Residence time-weighted concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter <10 m (PM 10 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) from road traffic were estimated at participants' addresses during pregnancy, the first year, and the ninth year of life using dispersion modeling, controlling for seasonal variation. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the association between air pollution exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: No clear or consistent associations were found between air pollution exposure during any of the three time windows and any of the neurodevelopmental outcomes. For example, a 5-95% difference in exposure to NO x during pregnancy was associated with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44-1.96) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.58-1.40) for ASD and ADHD respectively. A corresponding range in exposure to PM 10 during pregnancy was related to ORs of 1.01 (95% CI: 0.52-1.96) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.68-1.47) for ASD and ADHD. Conclusions: Our data do not provide support for an association between pre-or postnatal exposure to air pollution from road traffic and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Background:Exposure to transportation noise is widespread and has been associated with obesity in some studies. However, the evidence from longitudinal studies is limited and little is known about effects of combined exposure to different noise sources.Objectives:The aim of this longitudinal study was to estimate the association between exposure to noise from road traffic, railways, or aircraft and the development of obesity markers.Methods:We assessed individual long-term exposure to road traffic, railway, and aircraft noise based on residential histories in a cohort of 5,184 men and women from Stockholm County. Noise levels were estimated at the most exposed façade of each dwelling. Waist circumference, weight, and height were measured at recruitment and after an average of 8.9 y of follow-up. Extensive information on potential confounders was available from repeated questionnaires and registers.Results:Waist circumference increased 0.04cm/y (95% CI: 0.02, 0.06) and 0.16cm/y (95% CI: 0.14, 0.17) per 10 dB
normalLden in relation to road traffic and aircraft noise, respectively. No corresponding association was seen for railway noise. Weight gain was only related to aircraft noise exposure. A similar pattern occurred for incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of central obesity and overweight. The IRR of central obesity increased from 1.22 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.39) in those exposed to only one source of transportation noise to 2.26 (95% CI: 1.55, 3.29) among those exposed to all three sources.Conclusion:Our results link transportation noise exposure to development of obesity and suggest that combined exposure from different sources may be particularly harmful. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1910
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