Air pollution is the most important environmental risk factor for health, including for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and there is growing evidence of its adverse effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health across the life course. Air pollution is the leading contributor to the global disease burden, contributing more than well established CVD risk factors, such as high systolic blood pressure, high glucose, high body mass index (BMI) and smoking.

The adverse cardiometabolic health effects of air pollution might be more pronounced among low-income, low-education, and ethnic minority groups, partly due to the generally increased air pollution exposures and the higher prevalence of risk factors for poorer cardiovascular health in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the links between socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, air pollution, and health across different ages is crucial.

Postulated mechanisms linking air pollution to cardiometabolic health comprise oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammatory responses. Proteomics is a promising tool which enables precise identification and quantification of a range of proteins, including proteins related to chronic inflammation. Proteomics can help to characterise the complex biological processes between air pollution exposure and inflammation. Previous studies have shown that individuals with lower SES and ethnic minorities have higher levels of systemic inflammation; therefore, inflammatory pathways are likely an important mechanism for socioeconomic inequalities in the association between air pollution and cardiometabolic health.

This project aims to study socioeconomic inequalities in the cardiometabolic effects of air pollution across the life course and its potential mechanism via inflammation.