Long-Term Aircraft Noise Exposure and Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Background: Long-term aircraft noise exposure may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but no study has investigated chronic effects on the metabolic system.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate effects of long-term aircraft noise exposure on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, we explored the modifying effects of sleep disturbance.Methods: This prospective cohort study of residents of Stockholm County, Sweden, followed 5,156 participants with normal baseline oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) for up to 10 years. Exposure to aircraft noise was estimated based on residential history. Information on outcomes and confounders was obtained from baseline and follow-up surveys and examinations, and participants who developed prediabetes or type 2 diabetes were identified by self-reported physician diagnosis or OGTT at follow-up. Adjusted associations were assessed by linear, logistic, and random-effects models.Results: The mean (± SD) increases in BMI and waist circumference during follow-up were 1.09 ± 1.97 kg/m2 and 4.39 ± 6.39 cm, respectively. The cumulative incidence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes was 8% and 3%, respectively. Based on an ordinal noise variable, a 5-dB(A) increase in aircraft noise was associated with a greater increase in waist circumference of 1.51 cm (95% CI: 1.13, 1.89), fully adjusted. This association appeared particularly strong among those who did not change their home address during the study period, which may be a result of lower exposure misclassification. However, no clear associations were found for BMI or type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, sleep disturbances did not appear to modify the associations with aircraft noise.Conclusions: Long-term aircraft noise exposure may be linked to metabolic outcomes, in particular increased waist circumference.Citation: Eriksson C, Hilding A, Pyko A, Bluhm G, Pershagen G, Östenson CG. 2014. Long-term aircraft noise exposure and body mass index, waist circumference, and type 2 diabetes: a prospective study. Environ Health Perspect 122:687–694; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307115

Long-term transportation noise annoyance is associated with subsequent lower levels of physical activity

“…This study adds to the evidence on potential mechanisms of noise towards chronic diseases. In addition to the direct stress pathway, which may be the most relevant during sleep for cardiovascular disease (Münzel et al, 2014), the indirect pathway through persistent noise annoyance and lower PA, could be also important, particularly in emerging noise-related adverse health effects such as obesity and diabetes (Dzhambov, 2015;Eriksson et al, 2014;Oftedal et al, 2015;Pyko et al, 2015). These findings are of public health relevance, because of the importance of PA for health and the prevalence of noise annoyance.…”

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the impact of transportation noise annoyance on PA, a behavioral pathway through which noise may in part affect cardiometabolic diseases (Basner et al, 2011;Dzhambov, 2015;Eriksson et al, 2014;Oftedal et al, 2015;Pyko et al, 2015), in addition to the direct (physiological) stress pathway. In this population-based cohort of adults, reported long-term transportation noise annoyance (mostly related to road traffic) at home was associated with being less active in moderate PA after controlling for a comprehensive set of potential confounders, including other environmental factors.…”

“…They further allowed us to distinguish sourcespecific noise annoyance and explore associations at nighttime (in the bedroom), which is a susceptible period for noise effects due to restoration (Münzel et al, 2014). The most relevant sources seemed to be road traffic and aircraft, for which the literature on cardiometabolic endpoints is also vast Dzhambov, 2015;Eriksson et al, 2014;Ndrepepa and Twardella, 2011;Oftedal et al, 2015;Pyko Fig. 3.…”

“…Long-term exposure to transportation noise has been associated with cardiovascular disease (Babisch, 2014;Dratva et al, 2012;van Kempen and Babisch, 2012;Vienneau et al, 2015), the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide Murray et al, 2012), and could also relate to diabetes (Dzhambov, 2015) and obesity (Eriksson et al, 2014;Oftedal et al, 2015;Pyko et al, 2015). The major mechanism towards cardiovascular diseases may be through the direct physiological stress reaction to the actual level of noise during rest (i.e.…”

Community Noise Exposure and its Effect on Blood Pressure and Renal Function in Patients with Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease

“…38 Traffi c-related fi ne particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) levels were elicited from the dispersion model of Plovdiv described elsewhere 25 and linked to the geocoded addresses.…”