Air pollution increases the risk of frailty: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

Apr 5, 2025Journal of hazardous materials

Air pollution linked to higher risk of frailty in older adults in China

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Abstract

Each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM, PM, PM, and NO is associated with a higher risk of frailty, with increases of 7.8%, 4.2%, 3.8%, and 12.9%, respectively.

Exposure to air pollutants may be linked to an increased risk of frailty in older adults.
No significant association was found between ozone exposure and frailty risk.
Higher levels of physical activity could reduce the adverse effects of air pollution on frailty.
Individuals with no formal education may be more susceptible to the impacts of air pollution.

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The longitudinal association between multiple air pollutants and frailty risk remains unexplored, and it is unclear which factors may modify this relationship. Using data from 10,584 Chinese adults aged 45 years and older in the 2011-2020 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we investigated whether exposure to PM, PM, PM, O, and NOaffects frailty over a median follow-up of seven years. Air pollutant data were obtained from the China High Air Pollutants (CHAP) dataset, and frailty was assessed using a 44-item Frailty Index (FI ≥ 0.25). Time-varying Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors, indicated that each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM, PM, PM, and NOcorresponded to a 7.8 %, 4.2 %, 3.8 %, and 12.9 % higher risk of frailty, respectively, while Oshowed no significant association. Individuals who were sufficiently active appeared less affected by pollution, whereas those with no formal education were more vulnerable. Implementing future policies and interventions to reduce air pollution can potentially decrease the risk of frailty and promote healthy ageing. 1 2.5 10 3 2 1 2.5 10 2 3

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Air pollution increases the risk of frailty: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

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