Prenatal and postnatal exposure to air pollution and emotional and aggressive symptoms in children from 8 European birth cohorts. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jorcano, Ainhoa; Lubczyńska, Małgorzata J.; Pierotti, Livia; Altug, Hicran; Ballester, Ferran; Cesaroni, Giulia; El Marroun, Hanan; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Freire, Carmen; Hanke, Wojciech; Hoek, Gerard; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Iñiguez, Carmen; Jansen, Pauline W.; Lepeule, Johanna; Markevych, Iana; Polańska, Kinga; Porta, Daniela; Schikowski, Tamara; Slama, Remy; Standl, Marie; Tardon, Adonina; Vrijkotte, Tanja G.M.; von Berg, Andrea; Tiemeier, Henning; Sunyer, Jordi; Guxens, Mònica
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 131(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: ABCD Amsterdam Born Children and their Development study -- BC black carbon -- BMI body mass index -- CBCL/6–18 child behavior checklist for ages 6–18 -- EC elemental carbon -- EDEN Étude des Déterminants pré et postnatals du développement et de la santé de l'Enfant -- ESCAPE European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects -- GASPII Genetica e Ambiente: Studio Prospettico dell'Infanzia in Italia -- GINIplus German Infant Study on the influence of Nutrition Intervention PLUS environmental and genetic influences on allergy development -- LISA Influence of life-style factors on the development of the immune system and allergies in East and West Germany -- LUR Land Use Regression -- INMA Infancia y Medio Ambiente project -- NO2 nitrogen dioxide -- NOx nitrogen oxides -- OR odd ratio -- PM particulate matter -- PM10 particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm -- PM2.5 particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm -- PMcoarse particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter between 10 and 2.5 μm -- PM2.5abs the absorbance of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm filters -- PAHs polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- REPRO_PL Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study -- SDQ strength and difficulties questionnaire; Air pollution -- Depressive symptoms -- Anxiety symptoms -- Aggressive symptoms -- children's mental health; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.104927
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The association between air pollution exposure and emotional and behavioural problems in children is unclear. We aimed to assess prenatal and postnatal exposure to several air pollutants and child's depressive and anxiety symptoms, and aggressive symptoms in children of 7–11 years. Methods: We analysed data of 13182 children from 8 European population-based birth cohorts. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx ), particulate matter (PM) with diameters of ≤10 μm (PM10 ), ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5 ), and between 10 and 2.5 μm (PMcoarse ), the absorbance of PM2.5 filters (PM2.5 abs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were estimated at residential addresses of each participant. Depressive and anxiety symptoms and aggressive symptoms were assessed at 7–11 years of age using parent reported tests. Children were classified in borderline/clinical range or clinical range using validated cut offs. Region specific models were adjusted for various socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics and then combined using random effect meta-analysis. Multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting methods were applied to correct for potential attrition bias. Results: A total of 1896 (14.4%) children were classified as having depressive and anxiety symptoms in the borderline/clinical range, and 1778 (13.4%) as having aggressive symptoms in the borderline/clinical range. Overall, 1108 (8.4%) and 870 (6.6%) children were classified as having depressive and anxiety symptoms, and aggressive symptoms in the clinical range, respectively. Prenatal exposure to air pollution was not associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms in the borderline/clinical range (e.g. OR 1.02 [95%CI 0.95 to 1.10] per 10 μg/m 3 higher NO2 ) nor with aggressive symptoms in the borderline/clinical range (e.g. OR 1.04 [95%CI 0.96 to 1.12] per 10 μg/m 3 higher NO2 ). Similar results were observed for the symptoms in the clinical range, and for postnatal exposures to air pollution. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that prenatal and postnatal exposure to air pollution is not associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms or aggressive symptoms in children of 7 to 11 years old. Highlights: We included air pollution data from eight European birth cohorts. Concentrations of the analysed pollutants varied substantially across Europe. We assessed emotional and aggressive behaviour symptoms in children of 7–11 years. Air pollution was not associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms in children. Air pollution was not associated with aggressive behaviour symptoms in children.