The association between outdoor air pollution and body mass index, central obesity, and visceral adiposity index among middle-aged and elderly adults: a nationwide study in China.

Background: Previous animal studies have suggested that air pollution (AP) exposure may be a potential risk factor for obesity; however, there is limited epidemiological evidence available to describe the association of obesity with AP exposure.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 11,766 participants across mainland China in 2015. Obesity was assessed using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and visceral adiposity index (VAI).