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Background: Malaysia has the highest rate of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Southeast Asian region, and has ongoing air pollution and periodic haze exposure.Methods: Diabetes data were derived from the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Surveys conducted in 2006, 2011 and 2015. The air pollution data (NOx, NO2, SO2, O3 and PM10) were obtained from the Department of Environment Malaysia. Using multiple logistic and linear regression models, the association between long-term exposure to these pollutants and prevalence of diabetes among Malaysian adults was evaluated.Results: The PM10 concentration decreased from 2006 to 2014, followed by an increase in 2015. Levels of NOx decreased while O3 increased annually. The air pollutant levels based on individual modelled air pollution exposure as measured by the nearest monitoring station were higher than the annual averages of the five pollutants present in the ambient air. The prevalence of overall diabetes increased from 11.4% in 2006 to 21.2% in 2015. The prevalence of known diabetes, underdiagnosed diabetes, overweight and obesity also increased over these years. There were significant positive effect estimates of known diabetes at 1.125 (95% CI, 1.042, 1.213) for PM10, 1.553 (95% CI, 1.328, 1.816) for O3, 1.271 (95% CI, 1.088, 1.486) for SO2, 1.124 (95% CI, 1.048, 1.207) for NO2, and 1.087 (95% CI, 1.024, 1.153) for NOx for NHMS 2006. The adjusted annual average levels of PM10 [1.187 (95% CI, 1.088, 1.294)], O3 [1.701 (95% CI, 1.387, 2.086)], NO2 [1.120 (95% CI, 1.026, 1.222)] and NOx [1.110 (95% CI, 1.028, 1.199)] increased significantly from NHMS 2006 to NHMS 2011 for overall diabetes. This was followed by a significant decreasing trend from NHMS 2011 to 2015 [0.911 for NO2, and 0.910 for NOx].Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that long-term exposure to O3 is an important associated factor of underdiagnosed DM risk in Malaysia. PM10, NO2 and NOx may have mixed effect estimates towards the risk of DM, and their roles should be further investigated with other interaction models. Policy and intervention measures should be taken to reduce air pollution in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaysia has the highest rate of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Southeast Asian region, and has ongoing air pollution and periodic haze exposure., Methods: Diabetes data were derived from the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Surveys conducted in 2006, 2011 and 2015. The air pollution data (NO x , NO 2 , SO 2 , O 3 and PM 10 ) were obtained from the Department of Environment Malaysia. Using multiple logistic and linear regression models, the association between long-term exposure to these pollutants and prevalence of diabetes among Malaysian adults was evaluated., Results: The PM 10 concentration decreased from 2006 to 2014, followed by an increase in 2015. Levels of NO x decreased while O 3 increased annually. The air pollutant levels based on individual modelled air pollution exposure as measured by the nearest monitoring station were higher than the annual averages of the five pollutants present in the ambient air. The prevalence of overall diabetes increased from 11.4% in 2006 to 21.2% in 2015. The prevalence of known diabetes, underdiagnosed diabetes, overweight and obesity also increased over these years. There were significant positive effect estimates of known diabetes at 1.125 (95% CI, 1.042, 1.213) for PM 10 , 1.553 (95% CI, 1.328, 1.816) for O 3 , 1.271 (95% CI, 1.088, 1.486) for SO 2 , 1.124 (95% CI, 1.048, 1.207) for NO 2 , and 1.087 (95% CI, 1.024, 1.153) for NO x for NHMS 2006. The adjusted annual average levels of PM 10 [1.187 (95% CI, 1.088, 1.294)], O 3 [1.701 (95% CI, 1.387, 2.086)], NO 2 [1.120 (95% CI, 1.026, 1.222)] and NO x [1.110 (95% CI, 1.028, 1.199)] increased significantly from NHMS 2006 to NHMS 2011 for overall diabetes. This was followed by a significant decreasing trend from NHMS 2011 to 2015 [0.911 for NO 2 , and 0.910 for NO x ]., Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that long-term exposure to O 3 is an important associated factor of underdiagnosed DM risk in Malaysia. PM 10 , NO 2 and NO x may have mixed effect estimates towards the risk of DM, and their roles should be further investigated with other interaction models. Policy and intervention measures should be taken to reduce air pollution in Malaysia.

The objective of this study was to establish baseline data about air pollutants potentially related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Federal Territory and Selangor, Malaysia. During 1991-1993, ambient air quality was monitored at 42 work sites representing ten industrial sectors: adhesive manufacturing, foundries, latex processing, metalworking, plywood/veneer milling, ricemilling, rubber tire manufacturing, sawmilling, shoemaking, and textile related industries. At each work site, aerosol particle size distributions and concentrations of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and furfural were measured. Mean aerosol particle concentrations ranged from 61 micrograms/m3 in foundries to 5,578 micrograms/m3 in ricemills, with five industries (adhesives, metalworking, ricemilling, sawmilling, and shoemaking) exceeding the US EPA 24-hr ambient air standard for PM-10. Formaldehyde concentrations exceeded the threshold limit value (TLV) in adhesives factories. Other vapours and elements measured were well below TLVs.