Respiratory and cardiovascular functions among smoking and nonsmoking girls from two regions with different air pollution degree

Association of Dietary and Lifestyle Inflammation Score With Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Objective

We aimed to assess the potential association of dietary (DIS) and lifestyle inflammation score (LIS) and their joint association (DLIS) with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in Tehranian adults.

Design

The present study was designed cross-sectional.

Participants

A total of 265 males and females aged 18–70 years (mean ± SD: 36.9 ± 13.3) were entered in the present cross-sectional study. Eligible participants were healthy men and women who were free of medications and had no acute or chronic infection or inflammatory disease.

Measures

The DIS was calculated by the use of data from 18 anti- and pro-inflammatory dietary components, and the LIS by three non-dietary components including physical activity, smoking status, and general adiposity, with higher scores indicating a more pro-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, respectively. The DLIS was calculated by summing the DIS and LIS. CRF was assessed by the Bruce protocol and VO₂ max was measuredas the main variable of CRF. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of CRF across tertiles of the DIS, LIS, and DLIS were estimated by logistic regression analysis with considering age, gender, energy intake, marital and education status, and occupation as confounders.

Results

The DLIS ranged from −2.10 to 0.38 (mean ± SD: −1.25 ± 0.64). In the model that controlled for all variables, the ORs of CRF for the second and third tertiles of the DLIS as compared to the first tertile were 0.42 (95%CI: 0.20, 0.90) and 0.12 (95%CI: 0.05, 0.32), respectively (P-trend < 0.001). There was a strong inverse association between the LIS and CRF (OR_{thirdvs.firsttertile}: 0.12, 95%CI: 0.05, 0.32). There was no association between DIS and CRF.

Conclusion

The present study examined the joint association of inflammation-related lifestyle behaviors with CRF and found a strong inverse association between a pro-inflammatory lifestyle with CRF. We did not find any association between dietary inflammatory properties with CRF. Future studies should address the relationship between the inflammatory potential of the diet and CRF.

Associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and blood pressure and effect modifications by behavioral factors

BACKGROUND

Studies on the hypertensive effect of long-term air pollution exposure were inconclusive and showed scarce evidence from rural areas in developing countries. In this context, we examined the associations of air pollution exposure with hypertension and blood pressure, and their effect modifiers in rural Chinese adults.

METHODS

We studied 39,259 participants from a cohort established in five rural regions of central China. Individual exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm and 10 μm) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was evaluated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. Mixed-effect regression models were applied to examine the associations of long-term exposure to air pollution with hypertension and four blood pressure component measurements, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP). Several potential effect modifiers related to demographic and behavioral factors were also examined.

RESULTS

The results showed that for each 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10 and NO2, the adjusted odds ratio of hypertension was 1.029 (95%CI: 1.001,1.057), 1.015 (95%CI: 1.001, 1.029) and 1.069 (95%CI: 1.038, 1.100), respectively. These three air pollutants were also associated with increased SBP (except for PM10), DBP and MAP. The hypertensive effects of air pollution were more pronounced among males, smokers, drinkers, individuals with a high-fat diet, and those with high-level physical activity.

CONCLUSION

Long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 was associated with increased blood pressure and hypertension in rural Chinese adults, and the associations were modified by several behavioral factors.

The influence of active and passive smoking on the cardiorespiratory fitness of adults

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of active and passive smoking on cardiorespiratory responses in asymptomatic adults during a sub-maximal-exertion incremental test.

METHODS

The participants (n = 43) were divided into three different groups: active smokers (n = 14; aged 36.5 ± 8 years), passive smokers (n = 14; aged 34.6 ± 11.9 years) and non-smokers (n = 15; aged 30 ± 8.1 years). They all answered the Test for Nicotine Dependence and underwent anthropometric evaluation, spirometry and ergospirometry according to the Bruce Treadmill Protocol.

RESULTS

VO2max differed statistically between active and non-smokers groups (p < 0.001) and between non-smokers and passive group (p=0.022). However, there was no difference between the passive and active smokers groups (p=0.053). Negative and significant correlations occurred between VO2max and age (r = - 0.401, p = 0.044), percentage of body fat (r = - 0.429, p = 0.011), and waist circumference (WC) (r = - 0.382, p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

VO2max was significantly higher in non-smokers compared to active smokers and passive smokers. However, the VO2max of passive smokers did not differ from active smokers.

Effects of physical examination and diet consultation on serum cholesterol and health-behavior in the Korean pilots employed in commercial airline

An objective of this study is to search how physical examination and diet consultation can influence those risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The subjects were 326 pilots of the "B" airline company in Korea whose total cholesterol values were over 220 mg/dl on their regular physical examinations from April 2006 to December 2008. They were divided into two groups, one who had diet consultation (an intervention group) and a control group. The physical examination components used to each group were body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride (TG). The behavioral, anthropometric and biomedical measurements were collected at each visit. This study compares and investigates the changes of serum cholesterol and also the health-behavior at each physical examination. Within the intervention group significant improvements were observed for total cholesterol, BMI (body mass index) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). The normalizing rates for cholesterol level to decrease down to lower than 200 mg/dl were 17.7% in intervention group and 8.7% in control group, which is statistically significantly higher among the intervention group. The odds ratio of diet consultation was 2.80 (95% CI=1.35-5.79), which indicates that it is a significantly contributing factor to normalize the serum cholesterol value down to lower than 200 mg/dl. Based on result, it is recommended to have regular physical examination and intensive management with diet and exercise consultation.

Low traffic and respiratory symptoms among smoking females: the Hordaland Health Study

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among men and women separately in areas with relatively low traffic density. Data on respiratory symptoms were collected from questionnaires in the Hordaland Health Study. A total of 16,412 individuals, 40 to 45 years, were asked to participate (response rate: 55% for men and 66% for women). Women residing in areas with the highest traffic density had increased prevalence of daily cough (18% vs 8.2%, p < .01), of cough with sputum (8.8% vs 2.8%, p < .01), and of chronic cough (11% vs 4.7%, p < .01) compared with women residing in areas with lower traffic density. The differences were most pronounced for smoking females. There were no similar findings among men. In conclusion, even within areas with relatively low environmental air pollution, respiratory symptoms was related to traffic density among smoking females.

Tobacco smoke exposure and tracking of lung function into adult life

Maternal smoking during pregnancy leads to abnormal lung function in infancy that tracks through to later childhood and continues into adult life. This is associated with transient wheezing illnesses through early childhood. Both social and physiological factors are likely to predispose those exposed to passive smoke to become active smokers. Adult smokers demonstrate an increased decline of lung function with age. The effects of passive smoke exposure vary with genetic factors, gender, race and exposure to other pollutants. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and subsequent active smoking both aggravate symptoms and have a negative effect on lung function in those with asthma.

Combined effects of cigarette smoking and sulfur dioxide on lung function in Koreans

Both smoking and air pollution impair lung function, but little information is available regarding the combined effects on the pulmonary system. The potential effects of smoking and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were examined on lung function. Data were collected from family health examinations of 867 subjects, aged 20-86 yr, in a Korean community. The subjects responded to a questionnaire interview and completed lung function tests. Data on SO2 exposure were obtained from the Environmental Management Corporation. Studies showed that exposure to SO2 induced a short, marked decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in smokers compared with nonsmokers. The effect lasted up to 30 h after exposure. Consequently, preventive efforts are necessary to reduce the risks that air pollution and smoking pose to the respiratory system.