| Title: | Does diet modify the effects of air pollution on lung function? A large cross-sectional study |
| Journal: | Environmental Research |
| Published: | 16 Jul 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42462994/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.125252 |
Publication 21341
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Air pollution and diet both affect lung health and may interact. We investigated whether a healthy diet may modify associations between air pollution and lung function in adults.</p>
METHODS: Modelled annual-average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤10 μm (PM10) and ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) were linked to residential address points of 260,982 individuals in the UK Biobank cohort. Averaged air pollution concentrations in the year of spirometry and two years prior to spirometry measurements were used. The healthy diet score (HDS) was calculated based on dietary data collected at baseline. Effect modifications by HDS and individual food components (fruit and vegetables) on the associations of air pollution and lung function were investigated.</p>
RESULTS: Participants in the highest HDS group had higher forced expiratory volume in 1-s(FEV1) and forced vital capacity(FVC) than those in the lowest group in both males and females. Interactions between HDS and air pollution were not seen. Suggestive evidence of total fruit intake effect modification on PM2.5-FEV1 was observed in females. Exposure to PM2.5 per 5 μg/m3 increment was associated with reduced FEV1 in the low of -14.4 mL(95%CI: -26.8, -2.2) but not in medium and high fruit intake groups (+2.9 mL(95%CI: -13.8,19.7) and +9.7 mL(95%CI: -4.1,23.6), respectively). A similar pattern was observed for FVC.</p>
CONCLUSIONS: We found suggestive evidence that higher consumption of fruit may partially reduce the adverse effects of air pollution on lung function in females. These findings merit investigation to see if they replicate in other cohorts.</p>
14 Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Air Pollutants
- Air Pollution
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Diet
- Female
- Humans
- Lung
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Nitrogen Dioxide
- Particulate Matter
- United Kingdom
11 Authors
- Pimpika Kaewsri
- Frank Dudbridge
- Janet Cade
- Jing Guo
- Xiangpu Gong
- Calvin Jephcote
- Kees de Hoogh
- Roel Vermeulen
- Marc Chadeau
- Yutong Samuel Cai
- Anna L Hansell
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 59129 | Transport noise and other environmental risk factors for health and wellbeing |
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health