Effect modification of diet and vitamins on the association between air pollution particles of different diameters and hypertension: A 12-year longitudinal cohort study in densely populated areas of China

Guiming Zhu; Yanchao Wen; Jie Liang; Tong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172222

Effect modification of diet and vitamins on the association between air pollution particles of different diameters and hypertension: A 12-year longitudinal cohort study in densely populated areas of China

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 10:928:172222. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172222. Epub 2024 Apr 6.

Authors

Guiming Zhu¹, Yanchao Wen¹, Jie Liang¹, Tong Wang²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China.
² Department of Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Key Laboratory of Coal Environmental Pathogenicity and Prevention (Shanxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, China. Electronic address: tongwang@sxmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38588735
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172222

Abstract

Introduction: Particulate matter (PM) is identified as one of the exacerbating and triggering factors for hypertension. Diet intake and the consumption of vitamins may potentially moderate the impact of PM on hypertension.

Methods: A 12-year longitudinal cohort study was conducted on a population in densely populated areas of China. Residual balancing with weighted methods was employed to control for time-varying and no time-varying confounding factors. Stratified Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to examine the moderating effects of diet and vitamins on the risk of hypertension with PM.

Results: There was a significant positive association between long-term exposure to different diameter PM and the risk of developing hypertension. The hazard ratios (HRs) for hypertension were 1.0200 (95 % CIs: 1.0147, 1.0253) for PM₁, 1.0120 (95 % CIs: 1.0085, 1.0155) for PM_2.5, and 1.0074 (95 % CIs, 1.0056, 1.0092) for PM₁₀. The diet and vitamins moderated these associations, the intake of healthy foods and vitamins exhibited a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between PM exposure and hypertension risk. Among all participants, the high intake of fruit (PM₁ (HRs: 1.0102, 95 % CIs: 1.0024, 1.0179), PM_2.5 (HRs: 1.0060, 95 % CIs: 1.0011, 1.0109), and PM₁₀ (HRs: 1.0044, 95 % CIs: 1.0018, 1.0070)) and vitamin E (PM₁ (HRs: 1.0143, 95 % CIs: 1.0063, 1.0223), PM_2.5 (HRs:1.0179, 95 % CIs: 1.0003, 1.0166), and PM₁₀ (HRs: 1.0042, 95 % CIs: 1.0008, 1.0075)) with lower risk of hypertension than the overall level and low intake of related foods and vitamins, exhibited a strong positive moderating effect on the relationship between PM and hypertension. Similar trends were observed for the intake of fish, root food, whole grains, eggs, fungus food, vitamin B2, B3. However, Na, meat, sugary and alcoholic exhibited opposite trends. The moderating effect of vitamin E intake was stronger than vitamin B and C.

Conclusions: Diet and vitamins intake may moderate the association between PM exposure and the risk of hypertension in adults.

Keywords: Diet; Hypertension; Particulate matter; Vitamins.

MeSH terms

Adult
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / statistics & numerical data
China / epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Diet* / statistics & numerical data
Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data
Female
Humans
Hypertension* / epidemiology
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Particulate Matter* / analysis
Vitamins*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter
Vitamins