Road traffic noise and markers of adiposity in the Danish Nurse Cohort: A cross-sectional study

Johannah Cramer; Jeanette Therming Jørgensen; Mette Sørensen; Claus Backalarz; Jens Elgaard Laursen; Matthias Ketzel; Ole Hertel; Steen Solvang Jensen; Mette Kildevæld Simonsen; Elvira Vaclavik Bräuner; Zorana Jovanovic Andersen

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.001

Road traffic noise and markers of adiposity in the Danish Nurse Cohort: A cross-sectional study

Environ Res. 2019 May:172:502-510. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.001. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Affiliations

¹ Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: johanna.cramer@sund.ku.dk.
² Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: jethe@sund.ku.dk.
³ Danish Cancer Society, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Natural Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark. Electronic address: mettes@cancer.dk.
⁴ DELTA Acoustics, Venlighedsvej 4, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark. Electronic address: cb@delta.dk.
⁵ DELTA Acoustics, Venlighedsvej 4, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark. Electronic address: jel@delta.dk.
⁶ Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark; Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: mke@envs.au.dk.
⁷ Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark. Electronic address: oh@envs.au.dk.
⁸ Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark. Electronic address: ssj@envs.au.dk.
⁹ Diakonissestiftelsen and Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital, Peter Bangsvej 1, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. Electronic address: mksi@ucdiakonissen.dk.
¹⁰ Juliane Marie Center, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Capital Region of Denmark, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: elvira.vaclavik.braeuner@regionh.dk.
¹¹ Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark; Centre for Epidemiological Research, Nykøbing F Hospital, Ejegodvej 63, 4800 Nykøbing F, Denmark. Electronic address: zorana.andersen@sund.ku.dk.

PMID: 30852453
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.001

Abstract

Background: Studies have suggested that traffic noise is associated with markers of obesity. We investigated the association of exposure to road traffic noise with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in the Danish Nurse Cohort.

Methods: We used data on 15,501 female nurses (aged >44 years) from the nationwide Danish Nurse Cohort who, in 1999, reported information on self-measured height, weight, and waist circumference, together with information on socioeconomic status, lifestyle, work and health. Road traffic noise at the most exposed façade of the residence was estimated using Nord2000 as the annual mean of a weighted 24-h average (L_den). We used multiple linear regression models to examine associations of road traffic noise levels in 1999 (1-year mean) with BMI and waist circumference, adjusting for potential confounders, and evaluated effect modification by degree of urbanization, air pollution levels, night shift work, job strain, sedative use, sleep aid use, and family history of obesity.

Results: We did not observe associations between road traffic noise (per 10 dB increase in the 1-year mean L_den) and BMI (kg/m²) (β: 0.00; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.07, 0.07) or waist circumference (cm) (β: -0.09; 95% CI: -0.31, 0.31) in the fully adjusted model. We found significant effect modification of job strain and degree of urbanization on the associations between L_den and both BMI and waist circumference. Job strained nurses were associated with a 0.41 BMI-point increase, (95% CI: 0.06, 0.76) and a 1.00 cm increase in waist circumference (95% CI: 0.00, 2.00). Nurses living in urban areas had a statistically significant positive association of L_den with BMI (β: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.42), whilst no association was found for nurses living in suburban and rural areas.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that road traffic noise exposure in nurses with particular susceptibilities, such as those with job strain, or living in urban areas, may lead to increased BMI, a marker of adiposity.

Keywords: Adiposity; Body mass index (BMI); Degree of urbanization; Job strain; Road traffic noise; Waist circumference.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adiposity*
Adult
Body Mass Index*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Denmark
Environmental Exposure
Female
Humans
Noise, Transportation*
Obesity / diagnosis
Waist Circumference*