Long-term Exposure to Ambient PM(2.5) and Its Components Associated With Diabetes: Evidence From a Large Population-Based Cohort From China

OBJECTIVE: Association between particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM(2.5)) components and diabetes remains unclear. We therefore aimed to investigate the associations of long-term exposure to PM(2.5) components with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study included 69,210 adults with no history of diabetes from a large-scale epidemiologic survey in Southwest China from 2018 to 2019. The annual average concentrations of PM(2.5) and its components were estimated using satellite remote sensing and chemical transport modeling. Diabetes was identified as fasting plasma glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) or hemoglobin A(1c) ≥48 mmol/mol (6.5%). The logistic regression model and weighted quantile sum method were used to estimate the associations of single and joint exposure to PM(2.5) and its components with diabetes, respectively. RESULTS: Per-SD increases in the 3-year average concentrations of PM(2.5) (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.15), black carbon (BC; 1.07, 1.01–1.15), ammonium (1.07, 1.00–1.14), nitrate (1.08, 1.01–1.16), organic matter (OM; 1.09, 1.02–1.16), and soil particles (SOIL; 1.09, 1.02–1.17) were positively associated with diabetes. The associations were stronger in those ≥65 years. Joint exposure to PM(2.5) and its components was positively associated with diabetes (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.07). The estimated weight of OM was the largest among PM(2.5) and its components. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to BC, nitrate, ammonium, OM, and SOIL is positively associated with diabetes. Moreover, OM might be the most responsible for the relationship between PM(2.5) and diabetes. This study adds to the evidence of a PM(2.5)-diabetes association and suggests controlling sources of OM to curb the burden of PM(2.5)-related diabetes.