Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution, physical activity with blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Abstract

BackgroundLong-term exposure to air pollution and physical activity (PA) are linked to blood pressure and hypertension. However, the joint effect of air pollution and PA on blood pressure and hypertension are still unknown in Chinese middle-aged and older adults.MethodsA total of 14,622 middle-aged and older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study wave 3 were included in this study. Ambient air pollution [particulate matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), or ≤10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbonic oxide (CO)] were estimated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. PA was investigated using International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Generalized linear models were used to examine the associations of air pollution, PA score with blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP)], and the prevalence of hypertension. Subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of air pollution on blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension in different PA groups.ResultsThe results showed that for each inter-quartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 (25.45 μg/m3), PM10 (40.56 μg/m3), SO2 (18.61 μg/m3), NO2 (11.16 μg/m3), CO (0.42 mg/m3) and PA score (161.3 MET/h-week), the adjusted odd ratio (OR) of hypertension was 1.207 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.137, 1.281), 1.189 (95%CI: 1.122, 1.260), 1.186 (95%CI: 1.112, 1.266), 1.186 (95%CI: 1.116, 1.260), 1.288 (95%CI: 1.223, 1.357), 0.948 (95%CI: 0.899, 0.999), respectively. Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO was associated with increased SBP, DBP, and MAP levels. For example, each IQR increase in PM2.5 was associated with 1.20 mmHg (95%CI: 0.69, 1.72) change in SBP, 0.66 mmHg (95%CI: 0.36, 0.97) change in DBP, and 0.84 mmHg (95%CI: 0.49, 1.19) change in MAP levels, respectively. Each IQR increase in PA score was associated with −0.56 mmHg (95%CI: −1.03, −0.09) change in SBP, −0.32 mmHg (95%CI: −0.59, −0.05) change in DBP, and −0.33 mmHg (95%CI: −0.64, −0.02) change in MAP levels, respectively. Subgroup analysis found that the estimated effects in the sufficient PA group were lower than that in the insufficient PA group.ConclusionLong-term exposure to air pollutants is associated with increased blood pressure and hypertension risk, while high-level PA is associated with decreased blood pressure and hypertension risk. Strengthening PA might attenuate the adverse effects of air pollution on blood pressure and hypertension risk.