Could exposure to Environmental and Occupational Particulate Air Pollution be a Contributor to Neurodegeneration and Diabetes?

It has been hypothesised that environmental air pollution, especially airborne particles, is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and neurodegenerative conditions. A systematic review of the epidemiological evidence found a positive association between ambient air pollution and both T2DM and neurodegeneration risks, such as dementia and a general decline in cognition. However, corresponding evidence for workplace exposures are lacking. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms associated with particulate exposure and disease pathogenesis and to investigate the risks in occupational populations. This work describes an epidemiological study being undertaken to investigate the association between occupational and environmental exposure to fine particulate matter, and diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases and biomarkers of these conditions. The study relies upon data from the UK Biobank, an existing health resource that has data on around 500,000 volunteer participants, aged between 37 and 73 years from across Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) at the study baseline (2006–2010). We consider already collected data on the participants’ location and occupation to estimate their exposure to airborne particles using available public pollution data and a job-exposure matrix. The association between air pollution and the diseases will be first investigated and then we will explore whether occupational exposure modifies the association or increases the ability to predict the outcomes.