Scientists from the University of Shanghai discovered that intense street lighting disrupts the circadian rhythm system and may be a risk factor for diabetes. Research published in the journal diabetology.
More than 98,000 adults (mean age 42.7 years) participated in the study and were followed in 162 research centers. The intensity of street lighting was estimated from satellite images.
The authors found that high exposure to nighttime street lighting was associated with higher levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and the prevalence of diabetes. Scientists attribute this effect to disruption of circadian rhythms.
In the analysis, the researchers took into account participants’ age, gender, education, income, physical activity, family history of diabetes, BMI, smoking status, and alcohol consumption.
The study found a new potential risk factor for diabetes. In the future, this will allow risk reduction measures to be taken in major cities where residents suffer from bright lights at night.