Independent and combined relationships between nighttime light exposure, air pollution, PM constituents, greenness and diabetes or high blood sugar: a national prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes or high blood sugar (D/HBS) is a major global public health challenge, with a particularly high burden among middle-aged and older adults in China. While traditional risk factors (e.g., obesity, sedentary behavior) are well-studied, the impacts of environmental factors such as nighttime light (NL), air pollution, and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on D/HBS remain underexplored.

METHODS

Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2015), we included 11,865 participants aged ≥ 45 years without baseline D/HBS. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to evaluate the independent effects of NL, air pollutants (PM, PM, NO, etc.), and NDVI on D/HBS risk, adjusting for confounders. Interaction effects, joint effects, and mediation effects were further analyzed.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 4.0 years. Among the 11,865 baseline participants, 371 developed incident D/HBS. NL was significantly associated with increased D/HBS risk (per IQR increase: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06-1.26). High exposure to PM (Q4: HR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.06-2.01) and NO (Q4: HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.07-1.92) elevated risk, while higher NDVI (Q3: HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.37-0.72) showed a protective effect. Synergistic effects were observed between NL and PM (RERI = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.13-1.09) or NO (RERI = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.11-1.08). Mediation analyses indicated that air pollutants, specifically NH (proportion = - 68.3%) and NO (proportion = - 64.1%), partially attenuated the protective role of NDVI.

CONCLUSIONS

NL and air pollution are independent risk factors for D/HBS, with synergistic effects exacerbating disease risk. NDVI confers protection by reducing pollutant exposure. Comprehensive strategies targeting light pollution control, air quality improvement, and optimized green space planning are imperative. Future studies should integrate individualized exposure assessments and elucidate causal environmental-metabolic pathways.