This multi-center study examines the links between air pollution and frailty in older adults, highlighting protective environmental factors.
Key Points
This research aims to explore the relationship between long-term air pollution exposure and frailty, while considering the protective role of greenness.
Analyzed data from 5336 individuals aged 55 and older in the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan.
Assessed frailty using modified criteria from the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Estimated exposure to air pollutants using land use regression model and machine learning methods.
Quantified greenness with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
Employed logistic regression models to analyze associations after adjusting for confounders.
Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 increased the risk of frailty and prefrailty.
Higher NDVI values showed a protective effect against frailty.
PM2.5 exposure correlated with a 10.3% increased risk per 10 µg/m³ increment over three years.