TY - JOUR

T1 - The influence of air pollution exposure on the short- and long-term health benefits associated with active mobility

T2 - A systematic review

AU - Chandia-Poblete, Damian

AU - Cole-Hunter, Thomas

AU - Haswell, Melissa

AU - Heesch, Kristiann C.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Active mobility (AM), defined as walking and cycling for transportation, can improve health through increasing regular physical activity. However, these health improvements could be outweighed by harm from inhaling traffic -related air pollutants during AM participation. The interaction of AM and air pollutants on health is complex physio-logically, manifesting as acute changes in health indicators that may lead to poor long-term health consequences. The aim of this study was to systematically review the current evidence of effect modification by air pollution (AP) on as-sociations between AM and health indicators. Studies were included if they examined associations between AM and health indicators being modified by AP or, conversely, associations between AP and health indicators being modified by AM. Thirty-three studies met eligibility criteria. The main AP indicators studied were particulate matter, ultrafine particles, and nitrogen oxides. Most health indicators studied were grouped into cardiovascular and respiratory indi-cators. There is evidence of a reduction by AP, mainly ultrafine particles and PM2.5, in the short-term health benefits of AM. Multiple studies suggest that long-term health benefits of AM are not negatively associated with levels of the single traffic-related pollutant NO2. However, other studies reveal reduced long-term health benefits of AM in areas affected by high levels of pollutant mixtures. We recommend that future studies adopt consistent and rigorous study designs and include reporting of interaction testing, to advance understanding of the complex relationships between AM, AP, and health indicators.

AB - Active mobility (AM), defined as walking and cycling for transportation, can improve health through increasing regular physical activity. However, these health improvements could be outweighed by harm from inhaling traffic -related air pollutants during AM participation. The interaction of AM and air pollutants on health is complex physio-logically, manifesting as acute changes in health indicators that may lead to poor long-term health consequences. The aim of this study was to systematically review the current evidence of effect modification by air pollution (AP) on as-sociations between AM and health indicators. Studies were included if they examined associations between AM and health indicators being modified by AP or, conversely, associations between AP and health indicators being modified by AM. Thirty-three studies met eligibility criteria. The main AP indicators studied were particulate matter, ultrafine particles, and nitrogen oxides. Most health indicators studied were grouped into cardiovascular and respiratory indi-cators. There is evidence of a reduction by AP, mainly ultrafine particles and PM2.5, in the short-term health benefits of AM. Multiple studies suggest that long-term health benefits of AM are not negatively associated with levels of the single traffic-related pollutant NO2. However, other studies reveal reduced long-term health benefits of AM in areas affected by high levels of pollutant mixtures. We recommend that future studies adopt consistent and rigorous study designs and include reporting of interaction testing, to advance understanding of the complex relationships between AM, AP, and health indicators.

KW - Traffic -related air pollution

KW - Active mobility

KW - Short-term exposure

KW - Long-term exposure

KW - Effect modification

KW - Health outcomes

KW - HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY

KW - PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY

KW - PARTICULATE MATTER

KW - COMMUTING MODE

KW - RESPONSES

KW - IMPACT

KW - DETERMINANTS

KW - INFLAMMATION

KW - POPULATION

KW - MORTALITY

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157978

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157978

M3 - Review

C2 - 35964755

VL - 850

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

SN - 0048-9697

M1 - 157978

ER -