Book Section #17988

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a complex systemic disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased susceptibility to fracture. As an increasing public health concern, osteoporosis is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic burden worldwide. Multiple factors, including genetic, epigenetic, nutrition, medical, and environmental variables, are attributed to the increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. An individual's bone mass depends on peak bone mass and bone loss throughout life. Many studies have underscored the role of lifestyle factors. However, more attention should be paid to the impacts of environmental factors on BMD. Exposure to environmental pollutants such as cadmium, lead, and tobacco smoke is documented to be associated with bone loss. Emerging available evidence indicates the associations of environmental exposure, notably air pollution, with declines in BMD in different body sites, which would result in osteoporosis. Inhabitants of urban and air-polluted areas have lower body BMD and higher fracture rates than those living in the rural regions' clean air. In some studies, with different designs, the alterations of BMD in children or adults have been investigated according to exposure to some specific air pollutants. This chapter aims to review and summarize the potential role of exposure to different air pollutants on the variations in body BMD in various age groups. The findings would be applicable to be implemented in preventative programs tackling osteoporosis. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.