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Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Cardiovascular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 July 2024) | Viewed by 13705

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszów University, 35-326 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: accelerometry; adiposity; blood pressure; children; obesity; physical fitness; sleep
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Associate Professor, Institute of Health Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszów University, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: accelerometry; body composition; hypertension; obesity; physical activity; risk factors; sleep
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity and hypertension are some of the most important public health problems in the world. According to the World Health Organization, elevated blood pressure is the leading risk factor of death and disability worldwide. The increased prevalence of hypertension can be explained by the worldwide obesity epidemic. As the prevalence of hypertension is increasing worldwide, the prevention and control of hypertension have become important public health initiatives. In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s increasingly unhealthy lifestyles have led to a growth in the number of people at risk of obesity and hypertension.

This Special Issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (JCM) focuses on broadening our knowledge of the prevalence of obesity and hypertension, as well as the analysis of biological (i.e., age, sex, genetics) and lifestyle (i.e., dietary, physical activity, and sleeping habits) risk factors. New research papers, reviews, and case reports are welcome in this issue. Papers dealing with new approaches to the management of obesity and hypertension are also welcome.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in IJERPH.

Dr. Piotr Matłosz
Dr. Justyna Wyszyńska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • blood pressure
  • body composition
  • COVID-19
  • dietary habits
  • epidemiology
  • hypertension
  • obesity
  • physical activity
  • risk factors
  • sleep

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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14 pages, 1529 KiB  
Article
Impact of Consumption of Specific Food Groups on Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders among Nurses: Framingham’s Multifactorial Predictive Model
by Anna Bartosiewicz, Justyna Wyszyńska, Edyta Łuszczki, Anna Lewandowska, Małgorzata Zatorska-Zoła, Piotr Sulikowski and Piotr Matłosz
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(18), 5568; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13185568 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 692
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the consumption of selected food products and the risk of prevalence of selected metabolic and cardiovascular disorders among nurses. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 nurses. To achieve the study objective, body [...] Read more.
Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the consumption of selected food products and the risk of prevalence of selected metabolic and cardiovascular disorders among nurses. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 nurses. To achieve the study objective, body composition analysis (Tanita MC-980), blood pressure measurement (Welch Allyn 4200B), anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (CardioChek PA), and surveys regarding the consumption of specific food groups were conducted. Results: More than half of the respondents were overweight or/and obese, and almost 40% had elevated blood pressure levels. The results obtained from logistic regression models indicated that the consumption of specific food product groups may predispose to/increase the risk of hypertension, abdominal obesity, overweight, obesity, body fat accumulation, and the risk of cardiovascular events. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of targeted nutritional strategies to enhance the health and professional efficacy of nursing staff, paving the way for improved healthcare practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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18 pages, 1542 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Obesity on Repolarization and Other ECG Parameters
by Irena A. Dykiert, Krzysztof Kraik, Lidia Jurczenko, Paweł Gać, Rafał Poręba and Małgorzata Poręba
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(12), 3587; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13123587 - 19 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1091
Abstract
Background: Overweight and obesity are important risk factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. New repolarization markers, such as the Tpeak-Tend interval and JTpeak intervals, have not yet been profoundly studied in obese patients. The study aims to analyze whether, in patients [...] Read more.
Background: Overweight and obesity are important risk factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. New repolarization markers, such as the Tpeak-Tend interval and JTpeak intervals, have not yet been profoundly studied in obese patients. The study aims to analyze whether, in patients with obesity and overweight, repolarization markers, including the Tpeak-Tend interval, are prolonged and simultaneously check the frequency of other ECG pathologies in a 12-lead ECG in this group of patients. Methods: A study group consisted of 181 adults (90 females and 91 males) with overweight and first-class obesity. The participants completed a questionnaire, and the ECG was performed and analyzed. Results: When analyzing the classic markers, only QT dispersion was significantly higher in obese people. The Tpeak-Tend parameter (97.08 ms ± 23.38 vs. 89.74 ms ± 12.88, respectively), its dispersion, and JTpeak-JTend parameters were statistically significantly longer in the obese group than in the controls. There were also substantial differences in P-wave, QRS duration, and P-wave dispersion, which were the highest in obese people. Tpeak-Tend was positively correlated with body mass and waist circumference, while JTpeak was with BMI, hip circumference, and WHR. Tpeak/JT was positively correlated with WHR and BMI. In backward stepwise multiple regression analysis for JTpeak-WHR, type 2 diabetes and smoking had the highest statistical significance. Conclusions: Only selected repolarization markers are significantly prolonged in patients with class 1 obesity and, additionally, in this group, we identified more pathologies of P wave as well as prolonged QRS duration, Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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9 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
Assessing Disparities about Overweight and Obesity in Pakistani Youth Using Local and International Standards for Body Mass Index
by Muhammad Asif, Hafiz Ahmad Iqrash Qureshi, Saba Mazhar Seyal, Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Tauseef Sultan, Maysaa Elmahi Abd Elwahab, Piotr Matłosz and Justyna Wyszyńska
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(10), 2944; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13102944 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 1655
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Obesity is currently considered a public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Gender- and age-specific body mass index (BMI) growth standards or references are particularly effective in monitoring the global obesity pandemic. This study aimed to report disparities in age-, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Obesity is currently considered a public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Gender- and age-specific body mass index (BMI) growth standards or references are particularly effective in monitoring the global obesity pandemic. This study aimed to report disparities in age-, gender- and ethnic-specific statistical estimates of overweight and obesity for 2–18 years aged Pakistani children and adolescents using the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 2000 references, the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and Pakistani references for BMI. Methods: The study used secondary data of 10,668 pediatric population, aged 2–18 years. Demographic information like age (years), gender, city and anthropometric examinations, i.e., height (cm) and weight (kg) were used in this study. The recommended age- and gender-specific BMI cut-offs of the WHO, CDC 2000 and the IOTF references were used to classify the children sampled as overweight and obese. For the Pakistani reference, overweight and obesity were defined as BMI-for-age ≥ 85th percentile and BMI-for-age ≥ 95th percentile, respectively. Cohen’s κ statistic was used to assess the agreement between the international references and local study population references in the classification of overweight/obesity. Results: The statistical estimates (%) of the participants for overweight and obesity varied according to the reference used: WHO (7.4% and 2.2%), CDC (4.9% and 2.1%), IOTF (5.2% and 2.0%) and Pakistan (8.8% and 6.0%), respectively; suggesting higher levels of overweight and obesity prevalence when local study references are used. The Kappa statistic shows a moderate to excellent agreement (κ ≥ 0.6) among three international references when classifying child overweight and obesity and poor agreement between local references and the WHO (0.45, 0.52), CDC (0.25, 0.50) and IOTF references (0.16, 0.31), for overweight and obesity, respectively. Conclusions: The results of the study showed a visible difference in the estimates of excess body weight after applying the WHO, CDC, IOTF and local BMI references to the study population. Based on the disparity results and poor agreement between international references and the local study reference, this study recommends using local BMI references in identifying children with overweight and obesity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
14 pages, 10828 KiB  
Article
Overweight, Obesity, and Age Are the Main Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk Aggregation in the Current Mexican Population: The FRIMEX III Study
by Eduardo Meaney, Enrique Pérez-Robles, Miguel Ortiz-Flores, Guillermo Perez-Ishiwara, Alejandra Meaney, Levy Munguía, Gisele Roman, Nayelli Nájera and Guillermo Ceballos
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(8), 2248; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13082248 - 12 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 904
Abstract
Background: The Mexican population exhibits several cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) including high blood pressure (HBP), dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, overweight, and obesity. This study is an extensive observation of the most important CVFRs in six of the most populated cities in Mexico. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: The Mexican population exhibits several cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) including high blood pressure (HBP), dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, overweight, and obesity. This study is an extensive observation of the most important CVFRs in six of the most populated cities in Mexico. Methods: In a cohort of 297,370 participants (54% female, mean age 43 ± 12.6 years), anthropometric (body mass index (BMI)), metabolic (glycemia and total cholesterol (TC)), and blood pressure (BP) data were obtained. Results: From age 40, 40% and 30% of the cohort’s participants were overweight or obese, respectively. HBP was found in 27% of participants. However, only 8% of all hypertensive patients were controlled. Fifty percent of the subjects 50 years and older were hypercholesterolemic. Glycemia had a constant linear relation with age. BMI had a linear correlation with SBP, glycemia, and TC, with elevated coefficients in all cases and genders. The β1 coefficient for BMI was more significant in all equations than the other β, indicating that it greatly influences the other CVRFs. Conclusions: TC, glycemia, and SBP, the most critical atherogenic factors, are directly related to BMI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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11 pages, 869 KiB  
Article
Erectile Dysfunction as an Obesity-Related Condition in Elderly Men with Coronary Artery Disease
by Małgorzata Biernikiewicz, Małgorzata Sobieszczańska, Ewa Szuster, Anna Pawlikowska-Gorzelańczyk, Anna Janocha, Krystyna Rożek-Piechura, Agnieszka Rusiecka, Jana Gebala, Paulina Okrzymowska and Dariusz Kałka
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(7), 2087; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13072087 - 3 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in elderly men with overweight or obesity and coronary artery disease. Methods: Patients recruited in cardiac rehabilitation centers post-myocardial infarction provided demographic and anthropomorphic data. ED was assessed [...] Read more.
Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in elderly men with overweight or obesity and coronary artery disease. Methods: Patients recruited in cardiac rehabilitation centers post-myocardial infarction provided demographic and anthropomorphic data. ED was assessed using the abbreviated International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5) Questionnaire. Results: The study included 661 men with a mean age of 67.3 ± 5.57 years, a mean BMI of 27.9 ± 3.6 m/kg2, and a mean waist circumference of 98.9 ± 10.23 cm. Over 90% of men experienced ED, with similar proportions across BMI categories. The development of ED in men with a waist circumference of ≥100 cm had 3.74 times higher odds (OR 3.74; 95% CI: 1.0–13.7; p = 0.04) than in men with a waist circumference of <100 cm. Men with obesity and moderate-to-severe and severe ED were older compared to those without these disorders (67.1 ± 5.29 vs. 65.3 ± 4.35; p = 0.23). Conclusions: The prevalence of ED in men with coronary artery disease surpasses 90%. An increased body weight raises the risk of ED, with waist circumference proving to be a more reliable predictor of this risk compared to BMI. Physicians are encouraged to screen elderly patients with cardiovascular disease for ED and address obesity to enhance overall health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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13 pages, 1006 KiB  
Article
Time Trend Analysis of Comorbidities in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Population-Based Study from 53,142 Hospitalizations in Poland
by Katarzyna Helon, Małgorzata Wisłowska, Krzysztof Kanecki, Paweł Goryński, Aneta Nitsch-Osuch and Krzysztof Bonek
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(2), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13020602 - 21 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1518
Abstract
Background: (1) Influence of comorbidities on life expectancy and treatment outcomes is one of the main concerns of modern rheumatology, due to their rising prevalence and increasing impact on mortality and disability. The main objective of our study was to analyze the time [...] Read more.
Background: (1) Influence of comorbidities on life expectancy and treatment outcomes is one of the main concerns of modern rheumatology, due to their rising prevalence and increasing impact on mortality and disability. The main objective of our study was to analyze the time trends and shifts in the comorbidity profile and mortality over 10 years in the Polish population with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). (2) Data from 2011–2020 years were acquired from the General Hospital Morbidity Study in the National Institute of Public Health—National Institute of Hygiene (NIH-PIB) as ICD-10 codes. Based on ICD10 codes, we calculated the percentage shares for comorbidities, with the relative risk ratios and odds ratios. We analyzed the hospitalization rates and mortality from the overlapping conditions. Also, we analyzed age and sex related differences in the clinical manifestations of AS patients. (3) Results: From 53,142 hospitalizations of patients with AS, we found that the male population presented higher rates of cardiovascular (2.7% vs. 1.3% p < 0.001) and pulmonary conditions (1.2% vs. 0.8% p < 0.025). Inflammatory bowel diseases were more common in the female population than in males (2.3% vs. 1.7%, p < 0.001). In the years 2011–2020, we observed a decline in the number of hospitalized patients due to cardiovascular (p < 0.001) and respiratory system conditions (p < 0.001), yet the relative risk and odd ratios remained high. In the years 2011–2020, 4056 patients received biological treatment (7%). The number of initiated biological therapies correlated negatively with the number of reported hospitalizations due to ischemic heart diseases (IHD) (p < 0.031, r = −0.8). Furthermore, in the logistic regression model, we found strong collinearity between cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities (VIF = 14; tolerance = 0.1); also, the number of reported IHD’s correlated positively with the number of pulmonary infections (p < 0.031, r = 0.7) (4). Conclusions: Cardiopulmonary comorbidities are a main factor associated with increased mortality in patients with AS, especially in hospitalized patients. The mortality rates among patients with AS admitted to hospital due to other conditions other than movement disorders exceed the populational risk. The number of biologically treated patients correlated negatively with hospital admissions due to IHD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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22 pages, 323 KiB  
Article
Sex Differences in the Relationship between Personal, Psychological and Biochemical Factors with Blood Pressure in a Healthy Adult Mexican Population: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Blanca Estela Ríos-González, Ana Míriam Saldaña-Cruz, Sergio Gabriel Gallardo-Moya and Aniel Jessica Leticia Brambila-Tapia
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(2), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13020378 - 10 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1973
Abstract
Hypertension is one of the main risk factors related to cardiovascular mortality, being the levels of blood pressure (BP) related to a variety of personal, anthropometric, biochemical and psychological variables; however, the study evaluating the association of all these factors in systolic blood [...] Read more.
Hypertension is one of the main risk factors related to cardiovascular mortality, being the levels of blood pressure (BP) related to a variety of personal, anthropometric, biochemical and psychological variables; however, the study evaluating the association of all these factors in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in a sample of relatively healthy subjects has not been performed. The aim of the study was to determine the main variables associated with SBP and DPB in a sample of relatively healthy subjects. A total of 171 participants were included, in which personal, anthropometric, positive and negative psychological variables and biochemical variables were measured. We observed that men showed higher levels of SBP and DBP than women, with more differences for SBP. Among the biochemical factors and SBP, we found that albumin and monocytes were positively correlated with it, while potassium, phosphorus and eosinophils were negatively correlated with it. Additionally, schooling was a constant variable negatively correlated with SBP in all samples (global, men and women). Among psychological variables, we observed that emotional perception was negatively correlated with SBP in men’s and women’s samples, while autonomy was positively correlated with SBP in the men’s sample; however, their association was less when compared with the personal and biochemical variables included in the multivariate model. With regard to DBP, we observed that the biochemical variables, hemoglobin, sodium, uric acid and glucose, were positively correlated with DBP in the global sample, while chloride and BUN were negatively correlated with it. In addition, many personal and behavioral variables, including BMI, age and smoking consumption frequency, also correlated with DBP in the global sample. In conclusion, BP is affected by different factors, and these affect each sex differently. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
12 pages, 489 KiB  
Article
Evolution of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Post-COVID Patients
by Irina Mihaela Abdulan, Veronica Feller, Andra Oancea, Alexandra Maștaleru, Anisia Iuliana Alexa, Robert Negru, Carmen Marinela Cumpăt and Maria Magdalena Leon
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(20), 6538; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12206538 - 15 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1385
Abstract
(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a subject of extensive discussion in the medical field, particularly in relation to the risk factors and effective treatment strategies for reducing the negative health outcomes associated with the virus. However, researchers indicate that individuals in the [...] Read more.
(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection has been a subject of extensive discussion in the medical field, particularly in relation to the risk factors and effective treatment strategies for reducing the negative health outcomes associated with the virus. However, researchers indicate that individuals in the recovery phase after COVID-19 experience a range of symptoms that significantly impact their overall well-being and quality of life. At present, there is insufficient evidence to substantiate the claim that patients in the post-acute phase of COVID-19 are at an elevated risk of developing new-onset hypertension or even metabolic syndrome. The current study aimed to assess the risk of cardiovascular diseases after COVID-19 and the optimal treatment of these conditions. (2) Methods: This research was conducted at the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Clinic of the Iasi Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital (Romania) between the 1st of September and 31st of December 2022. From a total of 551 patients hospitalized in that period, 70 patients with multiple comorbidities were selected. This study included patients over 18 years old who were diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 30 days. (3) Results: The included patients were mostly women (62.9%) from the urban area (61.4%). Comparing the post-COVID-19 period to the pre-COVID-19 one, it was observed that the risk of hypertension increased from 69.57% to 90% among the subjects (p = 0.005). Risk factors for the new onset of hypertension were identified as age, female gender, and an elevated body mass index. Moreover, the number of patients with dyslipidemia doubled, and a higher body mass index was noted. (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients affected by COVID-19 are at an increased risk of developing hypertension and related disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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12 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Changes in Metabolic Health and Sedentary Behavior in Obese Children and Adolescents
by Maciej Kochman, Marta Brzuszek and Mirosław Jabłoński
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(17), 5456; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12175456 - 23 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1333
Abstract
Obesity is becoming more common among children and adolescents. As in adults, obesity in the pediatric population is associated with an increased risk of metabolic disorders and diseases. In the related literature, little attention has been devoted to evaluating how metabolic health and [...] Read more.
Obesity is becoming more common among children and adolescents. As in adults, obesity in the pediatric population is associated with an increased risk of metabolic disorders and diseases. In the related literature, little attention has been devoted to evaluating how metabolic health and sedentary behavior change in the obese pediatric population. Therefore, this study aimed to assess changes in metabolic health and sedentary behavior in obese children aged 7–12 and adolescents aged 13–17. For this single-center hospital-based prospective observational study, we included 202 Polish children and adolescents aged 7–17 years. We performed blood pressure measurements and collected blood samples to assess metabolic health markers. Based on the performed measurements, we also calculated additional indexes and ratios: BMI, WHtR, ABSI, VAI, and HOMA-IR. The analysis of the results showed clear and significant differences between the study groups. The older boys and girls were identified with higher values of anthropometric ratios, blood pressure, time spent sitting, and lower HDL cholesterol values (p < 0.05). The analysis also revealed a strong-to-moderate correlation between age and anthropometric ratios, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and sitting time (p < 0.05). Obese children and adolescents included in this study represent poor metabolic health and are at great risk of developing other metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or metabolic syndrome. This risk increases with age; therefore, a number of preventive and therapeutic actions should be taken in overweight and obese children and adolescents to avoid further metabolic complications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)

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22 pages, 1211 KiB  
Systematic Review
Examining the Link between Air Quality (PM, SO2, NO2, PAHs) and Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review
by Barbara Siewert, Agata Kozajda, Marta Jaskulak and Katarzyna Zorena
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(18), 5605; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13185605 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1100
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity has emerged as a global health concern with profound implications for long-term health outcomes. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the potential role of environmental factors in the development of childhood obesity. This comprehensive review aims to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity has emerged as a global health concern with profound implications for long-term health outcomes. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the potential role of environmental factors in the development of childhood obesity. This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between various components of air pollution and childhood obesity. Methods: We systematically analyze the existing literature from the past 5 years to explore the mechanistic pathways linking air pollution, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), to childhood obesity. This systematic review examines 33 epidemiological studies on the link between air pollution and childhood obesity, published from 1 January 2018, to 31 January 2024. Results: Studies from counties with low overall air pollution noticed only low to no impact of the exposure to childhood obesity, unlike studies from countries with higher levels of pollution, suggesting that the mitigation of air pollutants can reduce the chance of it being a negative factor for the development of obesity. This relationship was noticed for PM2.5, PM1, PM10, NOx, and SO2 but not for PAHs, which showed a negative effect on children’s health across 10 out of 11 studies. Conclusions: This review underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches to address both environmental and socio-economic determinants of childhood obesity. Efforts aimed at reducing air pollution levels and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors are essential for safeguarding the health and well-being of children worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obesity and Hypertension)
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