The results show that higher noise exposure is associated with an unfavourable distribution of adipose tissue - in particular with increased fat deposits under the skin, around the internal organs and in the liver. These specific fat distributions are considered early risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
For the study, MRI data from over 11,000 participants in the NAKO health study were analysed and combined with information on road traffic noise exposure at the place of residence. The analysis was based on data from the European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET) for 2017 and also took into account factors such as age, previous illnesses, lifestyle, socio-economic status and environmental factors such as air pollution and green spaces.
Professor Dr Annette Peters, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology at the Helmholtz Munich and Principal Investigator at the DZHK: ‘Previous studies have shown that night-time noise exposure affects the quality of sleep. This can influence stress and hormonal balance, which can impact body weight and fat distribution. Therefore, not only behavioural but also non-behavioural risk factors should be investigated in the prevention of obesity and secondary diseases by reducing traffic noise.’
The results showed that an increase in noise exposure of 10 decibels was associated with a higher volume of body fat and an increase in liver fat in men and women. This correlation was also observed at noise levels below the threshold of 53 dB(A) - a level that the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies as the beginning of harmful noise exposure. The observed associations remained consistent even when additional influencing factors were taken into account.
The researchers point out that the traffic noise data used was not collected nationwide. Participants for whose place of residence no data was available could only be included in the analysis with a conservative estimate. Future studies should therefore work towards a more comprehensive and continuous recording of traffic noise and the consideration of other noise sources in order to be able to analyse the health effects even more precisely.
Publication:
Niedermayer F. et al., Associations of road traffic noise with adipose tissue depots and hepatic health Results from the German National Cohort (NAKO), enviornment international, May 2025.
Source: Press release of NAKO Gesundheitsstudie
