Association between long-term air pollution exposure and insulin resistance independent of abdominal adiposity in Korean adults

Significant associations between air pollution (AP) and insulin resistance (IR) have been reported in limited populations or certain patient groups, but few studies have addressed this association in the general population, especially in Asians. Although abdominal fat is a major contributor to IR, previous studies have not fully controlled for its effect in the association between AP and IR. We investigated the association between exposure to AP and IR in Korean adults in the general population and whether this association is maintained even after controlling for the effects of abdominal fat, particularly visceral fat. This was a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained for Korean adults who participated in screening health checkups at Seoul National University Health Examination Center from 2006 to 2014. A total of 4251 men and women aged 22–84 years were included. IR was represented by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Adiposity traits such as visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas were measured by computed tomography. We assessed the annual mean concentrations of air pollutants, including particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 µm or less (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide. HOMA-IR was significantly associated with increased annual mean exposure to PM10 in both men (β = 0.15; 95% CI 0.09, 0.22) and women (β = 0.16; 95% CI 0.09, 0.23), and these associations were maintained even after controlling for VAT area (both p < 0.05). The adjusted mean HOMA-IR increased gradually with the level of long-term PM10 exposure (low, intermediate, and high exposure) (all p for trend < 0.001) in the subgroup analysis. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, including VAT area, the annual mean exposure to PM10 was significantly associated with the presence of IR in both men (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.03, 1.35) and women (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.18, 1.76). Other air pollutants, such as NO2, SO2 and CO, did not show any significant associations with HOMA-IR or the presence of IR. Persistent exposure to PM10 is the main independent risk factor for IR and exhibits a dose-dependent association regardless of visceral fatness in both men and women.