Metabolic Outcomes in Southern Italian Preadolescents Residing Near an Industrial Complex: The Role of Residential Location and Socioeconomic Status

Esha Bansal, Donatella Placidi, Shaye Carver, Stefano Renzetti, Augusto Giorgino, Giuseppa Cagna, Silvia Zoni, Chiara Fedrighi, Miriana Montemurro, Manuela Oppini, Michele Conversano, Stefano Guazzetti, Robert O. Wright, Donald Smith, Luz Claudio and Roberto G. Lucchini
Additional contact information
Esha Bansal: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Donatella Placidi: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Shaye Carver: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Stefano Renzetti: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Augusto Giorgino: Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Taranto, 74121 Taranto, Italy
Giuseppa Cagna: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Silvia Zoni: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Chiara Fedrighi: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Miriana Montemurro: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Manuela Oppini: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Michele Conversano: Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Taranto, 74121 Taranto, Italy
Stefano Guazzetti: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Robert O. Wright: Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
Donald Smith: Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
Luz Claudio: Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
Roberto G. Lucchini: Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: Evidence suggests that environmental exposures and socioeconomic factors may interact to produce metabolic changes in children. We assessed the influence of residential location and socioeconomic status (SES) on pediatric body mass index (BMI) Z-score and fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentration. Participants included 214 children aged 6–11 years who live near a large industrial complex in Taranto, Italy. Participants were grouped into residential zones based on the distance between their home address and the complex periphery (Zone 1: 0.000–4.999 km, Zone 2: 5.000–9.999 km, Zone 3: 10.000–15.000 km). BMI Z-scores were calculated via World Health Organization (WHO) pediatric reference curves. FBG was obtained via venous blood sampling. Closer residential location to the industrial complex on the order of 5.000 km was significantly associated with worsened metabolic outcomes, particularly in female children. Zone 1 participants had higher BMI-adjusted FBG than Zone 2 and 3 participants ( p < 0.05 versus Zone 2; p < 0.01 versus Zone 3). SES did not significantly influence BMI-adjusted FBG. Moreover, BMI Z-scores indicated high rates of overweight (22.0%) and obesity (22.9%) in the cohort. BMI Z-score was not significantly associated with SES or residential zone but was negatively associated with maternal education level ( p < 0.05). These results offer new evidence that residing near industrial activity may predict adverse effects on child metabolic health.

Keywords: children; socioeconomic status; residential location; industrial; air pollution; body mass index; BMI; blood glucose; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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