Car traffic, lawn mower, fire engine sirens, noisy neighbors. In spite of ourselves, we are all more or less forced to coexist with sources of noise pollution. If the noise can give you a headache, it could also play insidiously on our waistlines. Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institute have discovered that noise from city life puts a strain on our ears and also our weight.
Environmental, molecular and endocrinology specialists followed 5,075 men and women, aged 43 to 66, between 2002 and 2006. The panel lived near downtown Stockholm. Throughout the experience, participants filled in medical questionnaires on their lifestyle (physical activity, stress level, overall health). The changes in their blood pressure, average waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat were noted by the researchers.
The results, published in the specialist journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, show that Swedes living near roads, railways or airports are more at risk of gaining waist circumference. For every 5 decibel increase, residents saw their waistlines gain 0.21 cm more on average. This impact on weight load could be explained by the increase in cortisol, the hormone released by the body during stress.
Findings that should encourage city dwellers to move away from the outskirts of cities.
A more and more noticeable ailment
“Exposure to traffic noise [routière, aérienne et ferroviaire] increases with urbanization and increased traffic, “said study author Goran Pershagen to CBS. It is all the more important to fully assess the consequences for public health of this development”.
Noise is increasingly recognized by scientists. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), noise pollution would indirectly kill 10,000 people per yearin the European Union. Noise would indeed cause stress, sleep disorders and have an impact on cardiovascular health.
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