Abstract

As urbanization accelerates around the world, the impact of pollutant emissions and air pollution on obesity is becoming increasingly important. Particulate matter (PM) is a major component of substances that cause air pollution, and recent studies have reported that PM affects obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders. The main mechanisms include chronic inflammation in the hypothalamus, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and mitochondria, and oxidative stress in the white adipose tissue, lungs, and thyroid, as well as activation of genes related to lipogenesis, changes in adipose tissue distribution, dysbiosis of intestinal microbiome, and dysfunction of circadian rhythm are also proposed. Therefore, alleviation of air pollution, including reduction of PM concentration, could be a potential strategy for treating obesity and preventing obesity-related complications. Further prospective longitudinal study on human subjects is needed to clearly investigate the effects of PM on the risk of obesity and related mechanisms.