Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) during adolescence play an important role in the association between air pollution exposure and insulin resistance, according to a new study led by USC investigators. The study,  published in JAMA Network Open, found that children who were exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollution—specifically nitrogen oxides—tended to have a higher BMI by age 13, and experienced rapid weight gain from adolescence to young adulthood. This, in turn, was linked to higher levels of insulin resistance in their mid-20s. Researchers estimated that 42% of the relationship between early pollution exposure and insulin resistance can be explained by accelerated BMI growth trajectories—which describes how an individual’s BMI changes over time—and further contributes to insulin resistance, a key risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The study included data from Meta-Air2, an ongoing substudy of the Southern California’s Children’s Health Study (CHS) and featured 282 participants enrolled in kindergarten or first grade in 2003, who were actively followed up until 2014. The study’s researchers initiated a follow-up study in 2023 where participants, now young adults, provided blood samples for metabolic biomarker testing.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a decline in U.S. vaccine uptake, while widespread misinformation and distrust make it challenging to craft effective public health responses. In a new paper, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers discuss three case studies exemplifying different vaccine attitudes and behaviors. Their findings underscore the need for flexible approaches to reach diverse audiences with disease prevention strategies. 

New research by UCLA Health identified a candidate drug that reduces levels of a toxic form of a protein in the brain caused by the disease and improved memory in mice by boosting production of a protective protein.

The Andreas Grüntzig Ethica Award is traditionally given to those who have contributed in an extraordinary way to the PCR mission, that of serving the needs of patients by sharing knowledge, experience and practice in cardiovascular interventional medicine.