It’s not very pleasant to hear airplanes flying over your house all day long – a situation with which people living near airports are not unfamiliar.
But this noise pollution could have a little-known effect on health: it could promote weight gain, according to researchers from Boston University’s School of Public Health and Oregon State University, who have published their findings in the journal Environment International.
According to their study, exposure to aircraft noise in excess of 45 decibels (dB) is associated with higher self-reported BMI, and changes in body weight since age 18.
“A noise level of 45dB is just above the hushed tones of a library (40dB) and quieter than a typical conversation at home (50dB),” the researchers noted.
The study was carried out in the US using data collected between 1995 and 2010 from 74,848 nurses living around the 90 major airports. Researchers examined aircraft noise levels every five years during this period, based on a 24-hour time span, taking into account noise variations according to day and night.
Changes in BMI from the age of 18 were also calculated. The results of the study suggest that the link between aircraft noise pollution and the risk of weight gain appears to be stronger in older people than in younger adults.
Stronger associations were also observed among participants living on the US west coast, in arid climates, as well as among former smokers.
“In our modern world, noise is continually around us, and our bodies may not have adjusted to this constant input. Noise influences stress responses, which may start a series of events that can lead to higher BMI and later to disease,” study co-author Junenette Peters explained.
While the experts have not established why ex-smokers seem to be particularly affected, they do suggest a hypothesis for regional disparities.
“Regional differences in temperature and humidity may influence behaviours such as window opening, so perhaps study participants living in the west were more exposed to aircraft noise due to open windows or housing type, which allowed more noise to penetrate,” Peters said.
While this study takes an innovative approach in exploring the link between aircraft noise exposure and obesity on a national scale in the US, it is far from the first to highlight the deleterious effects of airport noise pollution on people’s health.
In particular, noise pollution from aviation is associated with sleep disorders and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. French research, published in 2020, identified a higher risk of death from myocardial infarction among residents of towns most exposed to aircraft noise.