Dyslipidemia is a critical factor in the development of
atherosclerosis and consequent
cardiovascular disease. Numerous pieces of evidence demonstrate the association between air pollution and abnormal blood
lipids. Although the results of epidemiological studies on the link between air pollution and blood
lipids are unsettled due to different research methods and conditions, most of them corroborate the harmful effects of air pollution on blood
lipids. Mechanism studies have revealed that air pollution may affect blood
lipids via oxidative stress,
inflammation,
insulin resistance,
mitochondrial dysfunction, and hypothalamic
hormone and epigenetic changes. Moreover, there is a risk of
metabolic diseases associated with air pollution, including
fatty liver disease,
diabetes mellitus, and
obesity, which are often accompanied by
dyslipidemia. Therefore, it is biologically plausible that air pollution affects blood
lipids. The overall evidence supports that air pollution has a deleterious effect on blood
lipid health. However, further research into susceptibility, indoor air pollution, and gaseous
pollutants is required, and the issue of assessing the effects of mixtures of
air pollutants remains an obstacle for the future.