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Long-Term Exposure to Transportation Noise and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in a Nationwide Cohort Study from Denmark

Thacher, Jesse D LU ; Poulsen, Aslak H ; Hvidtfeldt, Ulla A ; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole ; Brandt, Jørgen ; Geels, Camilla LU ; Khan, Jibran ; Münzel, Thomas and Sørensen, Mette (2021) In Environmental Health Perspectives 129(12). p.1-11
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have linked transportation noise to increased morbidity and mortality, particularly for cardiovascular outcomes. However, studies investigating metabolic outcomes such as diabetes are limited and have focused only on noise exposures estimated for the loudest residential façade.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the influence of long-term residential exposure to transportation noise at the loudest and quietest residential façades and the risk for type 2 diabetes.

METHODS: Road traffic and railway noise exposures (Lden) at the most and least exposed façades were estimated for all dwellings in Denmark during 1990-2017. Aircraft noise was estimated in 5-dB categories. Ten-year time-weighted mean... (More)

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have linked transportation noise to increased morbidity and mortality, particularly for cardiovascular outcomes. However, studies investigating metabolic outcomes such as diabetes are limited and have focused only on noise exposures estimated for the loudest residential façade.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the influence of long-term residential exposure to transportation noise at the loudest and quietest residential façades and the risk for type 2 diabetes.

METHODS: Road traffic and railway noise exposures (Lden) at the most and least exposed façades were estimated for all dwellings in Denmark during 1990-2017. Aircraft noise was estimated in 5-dB categories. Ten-year time-weighted mean noise exposures were estimated for 3.56 million individuals ≥35 years of age. From 2000 to 2017, 233,912 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified using hospital and prescription registries, with a mean follow-up of 12.9 y. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for individual- and area-level covariates and long-term residential air pollution. The population-attributable fraction (PAF) was also computed.

RESULTS: Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for type 2 diabetes in association with 10-dB increases in 10-y mean road traffic noise at the most and least exposed façades, respectively, were 1.05 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.05) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.10). Following subsequent adjustment for fine particulate matter [particulate matter ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter] (10-y mean), the HRs (CIs) were 1.03 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.04) and 1.08 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.09), respectively. For railway noise, the HRs per 10-dB increase in 10-y mean exposure were 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.04) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.04) for the most and least exposed façades, respectively. Categorical models supported a linear exposure-outcome relationship for road traffic noise and, to a lesser extent, for railway noise. Aircraft noise >45 dB was associated with a 1-4% higher likelihood of type 2 diabetes compared with those who were unexposed. We found road traffic and railway noise associated with a PAF of 8.5% and 1.4%, respectively, of the diabetes cases.

DISCUSSION: Long-term exposure to road, railway, and possibly aircraft traffic noise was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a nationwide cohort of Danish adults. Our findings suggest that diabetes should be included when estimating the burden of disease due to transportation noise. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9146.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Adult, Cohort Studies, Denmark/epidemiology, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology, Environmental Exposure, Humans, Noise, Transportation/adverse effects
in
Environmental Health Perspectives
volume
129
issue
12
article number
127003
pages
1 - 11
publisher
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
external identifiers
  • scopus:85120812610
  • pmid:34855467
ISSN
1552-9924
DOI
10.1289/EHP9146
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
953a337e-cfa3-494c-924e-8acfab29210b
date added to LUP
2023-05-08 10:23:38
date last changed
2024-04-19 21:35:34
@article{953a337e-cfa3-494c-924e-8acfab29210b,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have linked transportation noise to increased morbidity and mortality, particularly for cardiovascular outcomes. However, studies investigating metabolic outcomes such as diabetes are limited and have focused only on noise exposures estimated for the loudest residential façade.</p><p>OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the influence of long-term residential exposure to transportation noise at the loudest and quietest residential façades and the risk for type 2 diabetes.</p><p>METHODS: Road traffic and railway noise exposures (Lden) at the most and least exposed façades were estimated for all dwellings in Denmark during 1990-2017. Aircraft noise was estimated in 5-dB categories. Ten-year time-weighted mean noise exposures were estimated for 3.56 million individuals ≥35 years of age. From 2000 to 2017, 233,912 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified using hospital and prescription registries, with a mean follow-up of 12.9 y. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for individual- and area-level covariates and long-term residential air pollution. The population-attributable fraction (PAF) was also computed.</p><p>RESULTS: Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for type 2 diabetes in association with 10-dB increases in 10-y mean road traffic noise at the most and least exposed façades, respectively, were 1.05 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.05) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.10). Following subsequent adjustment for fine particulate matter [particulate matter ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter] (10-y mean), the HRs (CIs) were 1.03 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.04) and 1.08 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.09), respectively. For railway noise, the HRs per 10-dB increase in 10-y mean exposure were 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.04) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.04) for the most and least exposed façades, respectively. Categorical models supported a linear exposure-outcome relationship for road traffic noise and, to a lesser extent, for railway noise. Aircraft noise &gt;45 dB was associated with a 1-4% higher likelihood of type 2 diabetes compared with those who were unexposed. We found road traffic and railway noise associated with a PAF of 8.5% and 1.4%, respectively, of the diabetes cases.</p><p>DISCUSSION: Long-term exposure to road, railway, and possibly aircraft traffic noise was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a nationwide cohort of Danish adults. Our findings suggest that diabetes should be included when estimating the burden of disease due to transportation noise. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9146.</p>}},
  author       = {{Thacher, Jesse D and Poulsen, Aslak H and Hvidtfeldt, Ulla A and Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole and Brandt, Jørgen and Geels, Camilla and Khan, Jibran and Münzel, Thomas and Sørensen, Mette}},
  issn         = {{1552-9924}},
  keywords     = {{Adult; Cohort Studies; Denmark/epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Noise, Transportation/adverse effects}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences}},
  series       = {{Environmental Health Perspectives}},
  title        = {{Long-Term Exposure to Transportation Noise and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in a Nationwide Cohort Study from Denmark}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP9146}},
  doi          = {{10.1289/EHP9146}},
  volume       = {{129}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}