Blood pressure in young adulthood and residential greenness in the early-life environment of twins

Esmee M. Bijnens; Tim S. Nawrot; Ruth J. F. Loos; Marij Gielen; Robert Vlietinck; Catherine Derom; Maurice P. Zeegers

doi:10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9

Blood pressure in young adulthood and residential greenness in the early-life environment of twins

Esmee M. Bijnens, Tim S. Nawrot^*, Ruth J. F. Loos, Marij Gielen, Robert Vlietinck, Catherine Derom, Maurice P. Zeegers

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Previous research shows that, besides risk factors in adult life, the early-life environment can influence blood pressure and hypertension in adults. However, the effects of residential traffic exposure and residential greenness in the early-life on blood pressure in young adulthood are currently unknown.

Methods: Ambulatory (24-h) blood pressures of 278 twins (132 pairs) of the East Flanders Prospective Twins Study were obtained at the age of 18 to 25 years. Prenatal and adulthood residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal traffic and greenness indicators. Mixed modelling was performed to investigate blood pressure in association with greenness while adjusting for potential confounding factors.

Results: Night-time systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with greenness at the residential address in twins living at the same address their entire life (non-movers, n = 97, 34.9%). An interquartile increase in residential greenness exposure (1000 m radius) was associated with a 3.59 mmHg (95% CI: -6.0 to -1.23; p = 0.005) lower adult night systolic blood pressure. Among twins who were living at a different address than their birth address at time of the measurement (n = 181, 65.1%), night-time blood pressure was inversely associated with residential surrounding greenness at adult age as well as with residential greenness in early-life. However after additional adjustment for residential greenness exposure in adulthood, only residential greenness exposure in early-life was significantly associated with night systolic blood pressure. While no significant effect of adult residential greenness with adult blood pressure was observed, while accounting for the early-life greenness exposure.

Conclusions: Lower residential greenness in the early-life environment was independently associated with a higher adult blood pressure. This indicates that residential greenness has persistent effects on blood pressure.

Original language	English
Article number	53
Number of pages	8
Journal	Environmental Health
Volume	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9
Publication status	Published - 5 Jun 2017

Keywords

Blood pressure
Greenness
Early-life environment
LONG-TERM EXPOSURE
AIR-POLLUTION
BIRTH-WEIGHT
HYPERTENSION
COHORT
NOISE
ASSOCIATION
PREDICTORS
CHILDHOOD
MORTALITY

Access to Document

10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{0c530c3467704955aa6eb3b5a880281a,

title = "Blood pressure in young adulthood and residential greenness in the early-life environment of twins",

abstract = "Background: Previous research shows that, besides risk factors in adult life, the early-life environment can influence blood pressure and hypertension in adults. However, the effects of residential traffic exposure and residential greenness in the early-life on blood pressure in young adulthood are currently unknown.Methods: Ambulatory (24-h) blood pressures of 278 twins (132 pairs) of the East Flanders Prospective Twins Study were obtained at the age of 18 to 25 years. Prenatal and adulthood residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal traffic and greenness indicators. Mixed modelling was performed to investigate blood pressure in association with greenness while adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results: Night-time systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with greenness at the residential address in twins living at the same address their entire life (non-movers, n = 97, 34.9%). An interquartile increase in residential greenness exposure (1000 m radius) was associated with a 3.59 mmHg (95% CI: -6.0 to -1.23; p = 0.005) lower adult night systolic blood pressure. Among twins who were living at a different address than their birth address at time of the measurement (n = 181, 65.1%), night-time blood pressure was inversely associated with residential surrounding greenness at adult age as well as with residential greenness in early-life. However after additional adjustment for residential greenness exposure in adulthood, only residential greenness exposure in early-life was significantly associated with night systolic blood pressure. While no significant effect of adult residential greenness with adult blood pressure was observed, while accounting for the early-life greenness exposure.Conclusions: Lower residential greenness in the early-life environment was independently associated with a higher adult blood pressure. This indicates that residential greenness has persistent effects on blood pressure.",

keywords = "Blood pressure, Greenness, Early-life environment, LONG-TERM EXPOSURE, AIR-POLLUTION, BIRTH-WEIGHT, HYPERTENSION, COHORT, NOISE, ASSOCIATION, PREDICTORS, CHILDHOOD, MORTALITY",

author = "Bijnens, {Esmee M.} and Nawrot, {Tim S.} and Loos, {Ruth J. F.} and Marij Gielen and Robert Vlietinck and Catherine Derom and Zeegers, {Maurice P.}",

year = "2017",

month = jun,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

journal = "Environmental Health",

issn = "1476-069X",

publisher = "BioMed Central Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood pressure in young adulthood and residential greenness in the early-life environment of twins

AU - Bijnens, Esmee M.

AU - Nawrot, Tim S.

AU - Loos, Ruth J. F.

AU - Gielen, Marij

AU - Vlietinck, Robert

AU - Derom, Catherine

AU - Zeegers, Maurice P.

PY - 2017/6/5

Y1 - 2017/6/5

N2 - Background: Previous research shows that, besides risk factors in adult life, the early-life environment can influence blood pressure and hypertension in adults. However, the effects of residential traffic exposure and residential greenness in the early-life on blood pressure in young adulthood are currently unknown.Methods: Ambulatory (24-h) blood pressures of 278 twins (132 pairs) of the East Flanders Prospective Twins Study were obtained at the age of 18 to 25 years. Prenatal and adulthood residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal traffic and greenness indicators. Mixed modelling was performed to investigate blood pressure in association with greenness while adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results: Night-time systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with greenness at the residential address in twins living at the same address their entire life (non-movers, n = 97, 34.9%). An interquartile increase in residential greenness exposure (1000 m radius) was associated with a 3.59 mmHg (95% CI: -6.0 to -1.23; p = 0.005) lower adult night systolic blood pressure. Among twins who were living at a different address than their birth address at time of the measurement (n = 181, 65.1%), night-time blood pressure was inversely associated with residential surrounding greenness at adult age as well as with residential greenness in early-life. However after additional adjustment for residential greenness exposure in adulthood, only residential greenness exposure in early-life was significantly associated with night systolic blood pressure. While no significant effect of adult residential greenness with adult blood pressure was observed, while accounting for the early-life greenness exposure.Conclusions: Lower residential greenness in the early-life environment was independently associated with a higher adult blood pressure. This indicates that residential greenness has persistent effects on blood pressure.

AB - Background: Previous research shows that, besides risk factors in adult life, the early-life environment can influence blood pressure and hypertension in adults. However, the effects of residential traffic exposure and residential greenness in the early-life on blood pressure in young adulthood are currently unknown.Methods: Ambulatory (24-h) blood pressures of 278 twins (132 pairs) of the East Flanders Prospective Twins Study were obtained at the age of 18 to 25 years. Prenatal and adulthood residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal traffic and greenness indicators. Mixed modelling was performed to investigate blood pressure in association with greenness while adjusting for potential confounding factors.Results: Night-time systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with greenness at the residential address in twins living at the same address their entire life (non-movers, n = 97, 34.9%). An interquartile increase in residential greenness exposure (1000 m radius) was associated with a 3.59 mmHg (95% CI: -6.0 to -1.23; p = 0.005) lower adult night systolic blood pressure. Among twins who were living at a different address than their birth address at time of the measurement (n = 181, 65.1%), night-time blood pressure was inversely associated with residential surrounding greenness at adult age as well as with residential greenness in early-life. However after additional adjustment for residential greenness exposure in adulthood, only residential greenness exposure in early-life was significantly associated with night systolic blood pressure. While no significant effect of adult residential greenness with adult blood pressure was observed, while accounting for the early-life greenness exposure.Conclusions: Lower residential greenness in the early-life environment was independently associated with a higher adult blood pressure. This indicates that residential greenness has persistent effects on blood pressure.

KW - Blood pressure

KW - Greenness

KW - Early-life environment

KW - LONG-TERM EXPOSURE

KW - AIR-POLLUTION

KW - BIRTH-WEIGHT

KW - HYPERTENSION

KW - COHORT

KW - NOISE

KW - ASSOCIATION

KW - PREDICTORS

KW - CHILDHOOD

KW - MORTALITY

U2 - 10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9

DO - 10.1186/s12940-017-0266-9

M3 - Article

C2 - 28583126

SN - 1476-069X

VL - 16

JO - Environmental Health

JF - Environmental Health

M1 - 53

ER -