Korean J Fam Pract 2020; 10(6): 418-423  https://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2020.10.6.418
Association between Environmental Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exposure and Insulin Resistance: Using The Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey
Hyo-Jin Sa, Hu-Ran Rim, Jae-Kyung Choi*, Kyoung-Jin Kim, Jin-Young Shin, Eun-Jung Oh, Hyuk-Jung Kweon
Department of Family Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
Jae-Kyung Choi
Tel: +82-2-2030-7683, Fax: +82-2-2030-7747
E-mail: cjk@kuh.ac.kr
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0875-7505
Received: August 7, 2018; Revised: September 1, 2020; Accepted: October 21, 2020; Published online: December 20, 2020.
© The Korean Academy of Family Medicine. All rights reserved.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: A positive association between air pollution and insulin resistance has been shown in previous studies as a precursor state of type 2 diabetes, especially in older adults. This study was conducted to investigate the association between insulin resistance and environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure as ubiquitous outdoor and indoor air pollution components.
Methods: From the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey, 5,717 adults aged ≥19 years were included in this study. To identify the association between environmental PAH exposure (urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, 1-OHP) and insulin resistance, defined by the ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, we performed multiple stepwise regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, education, physical activity, exposure to smoking and air pollution, body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.
Results: Urinary 1-OHP concentration was significantly associated with the ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Conclusion: Environmental exposure to PAHs is associated with increased insulin resistance in adults.
Keywords: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Air Pollution; Insulin Resistance; Metabolic Syndrome
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