title: Road traffic noise and markers of obesity - a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Noise has been found to be associated with endocrine changes and cardiovascular disease. Increased cortisol levels and chronic sleep problems due to noise may increase the risk of obesity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the relationship between road traffic noise and obesity markers. Furthermore, we explored the modifying role of noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, and sleep disturbances.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from a population-based study, HUBRO (N=15,085), and its follow-up study HELMILO (N=8410) conducted in Oslo, Norway. Measurements were used to define body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and these binary outcomes: BMI≥30kg/m(2), WC≥102cm (men)/88cm (women), and WHR≥0.90 (men)/0.85 (women). Modelled levels of road traffic noise (Lden) were assigned to each participant's home address. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated no significant associations between road traffic noise and obesity markers in the total populations. However, in highly noise sensitive women (n=1106) a 10dB increase in noise level was associated with a slope (=beta) of 1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.03) for BMI, 1.01 (CI: 1.00, 1.02) for WC, and an odds ratio (OR) of 1.24 (CI: 1.01, 1.53) for WHR ≥0.85. The associations appeared weaker in highly noise sensitive men. We found no effect modification of noise annoyance or sleep disturbances. In a sub-population with bedroom facing a road, the associations increased in men (e.g. an OR of 1.25 (CI: 0.88, 1.78) for BMI ≥30kg/m(2)), but not in women. Among long-term residents the associations increased for BMI ≥30kg/m(2) (OR of 1.07 (CI: 0.93, 1.24) in men and 1.10 (CI: 0.97, 1.26) in women), but not for the other outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In an adult urban Scandinavian population, road traffic noise was positively associated with obesity markers among highly noise sensitive women. The associations appeared stronger among men with bedroom facing a street, representing a population with more accurately assigned exposure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: bente.oftedal@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oftedal
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Norun Hjertager
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Krog
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 13, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pyko
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 13, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Center for occupational and environmental medicine, Stockholm county council, stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Sidsel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Graff-Iversen
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Margaretha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: PerE
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schwarze
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 13, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pershagen
authors.affiliation: Division of Environmental Medicine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunn Marit
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aasvang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D065927:Waist-Height Ratio
keywords: Body mass index; Noise; Obesity; Overweight; Traffic