Living in Contaminated Radioactive Areas Is Not an Acute Risk Factor for Noncommunicable Disease Development: A Retrospective Observational Study.
OBJECTIVE
Although much attention is now being paid to the health risks associated with nuclear disasters, reliable information is lacking. We retrospectively evaluated the health effects of living in highly contaminated radioactive areas in Japan.


METHODS
The health evaluation was conducted in Tamano district, Fukushima prefecture, in 2011 and 2012. The surface deposition density of cesium in Tamano was 600 to 1000 kBq/m2 shortly after the Fukushima nuclear accident. Clinical parameters included body mass index, blood pressure, and laboratory examinations for blood cell counts, glucose levels, and lipid profiles. A screening program for internal and external exposure was also implemented.


RESULTS
One hundred fifty-five residents participated in the health evaluation. Significant decreases in average body mass index and blood pressure were observed from 2011 to 2012. Annual internal exposure levels did not exceeded 1 mSv in any participants. The levels of external exposure ranged from 1.3 to 4.3 mSv/y measured in the first test period but decreased to 0.8 to 3.6 mSv/y in the second test period.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that inhabiting nuclear contaminated areas is not always associated with short-term health deterioration and that radiation exposure can be controlled within safety limitations.
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Takeaki
T
Ishii
3Department of Radiation Protection,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Masaharu
M
Tsubokura
5Department of Internal Medicine,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Sae
S
Ochi
3Department of Radiation Protection,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Shigeaki
S
Kato
6Department of Health Services Research and Policy Faculty of Public Health and Policy,London School of Hygiene & Medicine,London,United Kingdom.
Amina
A
Sugimoto
7Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,School of Public Health,Imperial College London,London,United Kingdom.
Shuhei
S
Nomura
5Department of Internal Medicine,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Yoshitaka
Y
Nishikawa
4Division of Social Communication System for Advanced Clinical Research,the Institute of Medical Science,University of Tokyo,Minato-ku,Tokyo,Japan.
Masahiro
M
Kami
8Department of Global Health Policy,Graduate School of Medicine,University of Tokyo,Bunkyo-ku,Tokyo,Japan.
Kenji
K
Shibuya
5Department of Internal Medicine,Soma Central Hospital,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Yasutoshi
Y
Saito
2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Graduate School of Medical Sciences,Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Fukuoka,Japan.
Yukihide
Y
Iwamoto
9City Office of Soma,Soma,Fukushima,Japan.
Hidekiyo
H
Tachiya
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
health promotion; public health practice; radiation protection