Project 3: Exposure to Air Pollutants and Obesity/Glucose Dysregulation (early metabolic syndrome)

Obesity and diabetes are becoming more common in children and increase the possibility of developing heart disease later in life. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes begin to develop in early childhood and are likely influenced by environmental factors. This project is studying how air pollution increases the risk of obesity and diabetes in children. Project 3 investigates whether oxidative stress and systemic inflammation induced by chronic exposure to air pollutants (especially Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons or PAHs) contribute to obesity and glucose dysregulation in children as they develop.

Project Leader: John Balmes, M.D., University of California, Berkeley