Study links early air pollution exposure to childhood obesity through impulse control

Researchers at Mount Sinai found that infants exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 air pollution during their first year of life show reduced impulse control later, potentially explaining a pathway between air quality and childhood obesity.

First covered Jul 6, 2026 · 4:00 AM PT · 1 article

Coverage

9h Guardian Environment Air pollution may cause childhood obesity by disrupting impulse control, study finds — Babies exposed to higher levels of neurotoxin more likely to have difficulty controlling impulses later, research shows Exposure to common air pollution may…

Primary sources

cdc.gov Products - Health E Stats - Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 1960–1962 Through 2017–2018

More coverage from around the web

researchgate.net Hsiao-Hsien Leon Hsu's research works | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City (MSSM) and other places

scholars.mssm.edu Exposure to pm2.5 and obesity prevalence in the greater mexico city area - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

sciencedirect.com PM2.5 constituents associated with childhood obesity and larger BMI growth trajectory: A 14-year longitudinal study - ScienceDirect

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Effect of Air Pollution on Obesity in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PMC

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Air pollution and childhood obesity - PMC - NIH

Appeared in: 2026-07-06 (#13)

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