Association between noise exposure and diabetes: meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Chronic Disease Epidemiology
• Metabolic Disorders

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a significant global chronic disease with multifactorial etiology.
• Environmental factors, including noise pollution, are increasingly recognized as contributors to disease risk.
• Effective diabetes prevention strategies necessitate understanding its underlying causes and risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the association between long-term noise exposure and the risk of developing diabetes.
• To synthesize evidence from existing literature using meta-analysis to quantify the relationship.
• To inform public health strategies for diabetes prevention.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science for studies published in the last 10 years.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies examining noise exposure and diabetes risk, with data extracted by two independent researchers.
• Meta-analysis using random effects models was performed on eight selected studies (five cohort, three cross-sectional) involving over 514,000 participants.

Main Results:

• The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between noise exposure and an increased risk of diabetes.
• The overall odds ratio (OR) for developing diabetes due to noise exposure was 1.08 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.03–1.12).
• Eight studies, encompassing 514,570 individuals (23,708 with diabetes), were included in the final analysis.

Conclusions:

• Long-term exposure to environmental noise is a significant risk factor for the development of diabetes.
• The findings underscore the need for public health interventions to mitigate noise pollution.
• Routine health monitoring, including blood tests, is recommended for individuals with prolonged occupational or environmental noise exposure.