Association between built environment and sleep duration mediated by air pollution: a cohort study in China
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Public Health, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058 China
- 2Data Center, Yinzhou District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, 315100 China
- 3Department of Public Health, and Department of National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058 China
- 4Department of Chronic Disease and Health Promotion, Yinzhou District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, 315100 China
- 5Yinzhou District Health Bureau of Ningbo, Ningbo, 315040 China
- 6Department of Public Health, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058 China
Abstract
Background: The joint effects of complex built environment exposures on sleep duration and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the overall effects of residential built environment mixtures on longitudinal changes in sleep duration, and to explore potential mediation through air pollution.
Methods: We analyzed data from 18,891 adults in Yinzhou cohort in China, with baseline (2015–2017) and follow-up (2021–2023) assessments. Sleep duration was self-reported via questionnaires. Linear mixed models and quantile g-computation were employed to evaluate the associations between built environment mixture (green and blue space, light at night [LAN], walkability, road proximity, and population density) and longitudinal change of sleep duration. Structural equation modeling was utilized to assess mediation by air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, and NO2).
Results: Each quartile increase in the built environment mixture index was associated with a 0.057 h/year (95%CI: 0.039, 0.075) increase in sleep duration. Walkability (37.4%), green space (28.4%), and blue space (26.5%) drove the protective effects, whereas population density (63.3%) and LAN (36.7%) contributed negatively. Furthermore, interquartile range (IQR) increases in PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 were significantly associated with shorter sleep duration (β=-0.027 h, -0.048 h, and − 0.071 h, respectively). Air pollutants partially mediated the associations, with mediation proportions varying across exposures; notably, lower NO2 and PM2.5 explained up to 45.3% and 21.5% of the protective effects of walkability and green space on sleep duration, respectively.
Conclusions: Built environment features were significantly associated with sleep duration changes, partially through air pollution. Optimizing urban planning while mitigating air pollution may support sleep health.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026association,
title = {{Association between built environment and sleep duration mediated by air pollution: a cohort study in China}},
author = {Jiayi Li and Yexiang Sun and Yaoyao Lin and Lisha Xu and Hongbo Lin and Liming Shui and Zhiqin Jiang and Jianbing Wang and Mingjuan Jin and Mengling Tang and Kun Chen},
journal = {BMC Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association between built environment and sleep duration mediated by air pollution: a cohort study in China
AU - Jiayi Li
AU - Yexiang Sun
AU - Yaoyao Lin
AU - Lisha Xu
AU - Hongbo Lin
AU - Liming Shui
AU - Zhiqin Jiang
AU - Jianbing Wang
AU - Mingjuan Jin
AU - Mengling Tang
AU - Kun Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/30
JO - BMC Public Health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y
AB - Background: The joint effects of complex built environment exposures on sleep duration and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the overall effects of residential built environment mixtures on longitudinal changes in sleep duration, and to explore potential mediation through air pollution. Methods: We analyzed data from 18,891 adults in Yinzhou cohort in China, with baseline (2015–2017) and follow-up (2021–2023) assessments. Sleep duration was self-reported via questionnaires. Linear mixed models and quantile g-computation were employed to evaluate the associations between built environment mixture (green and blue space, light at night [LAN], walkability, road proximity, and population density) and longitudinal change of sleep duration. Structural equation modeling was utilized to assess mediation by air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, and NO2). Results: Each quartile increase in the built environment mixture index was associated with a 0.057 h/year (95%CI: 0.039, 0.075) increase in sleep duration. Walkability (37.4%), green space (28.4%), and blue space (26.5%) drove the protective effects, whereas population density (63.3%) and LAN (36.7%) contributed negatively. Furthermore, interquartile range (IQR) increases in PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 were significantly associated with shorter sleep duration (β=-0.027 h, -0.048 h, and − 0.071 h, respectively). Air pollutants partially mediated the associations, with mediation proportions varying across exposures; notably, lower NO2 and PM2.5 explained up to 45.3% and 21.5% of the protective effects of walkability and green space on sleep duration, respectively. Conclusions: Built environment features were significantly associated with sleep duration changes, partially through air pollution. Optimizing urban planning while mitigating air pollution may support sleep health. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28717-y.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -