Association of environmental noise exposure with cortisol levels in children from eight European birth cohorts
Environmental noise is a major environmental risk factor for public health. According to the noise reaction model the release of stress hormones like cortisol in response to noise exposure, plays a key role in the development of noise-induced health effects. We aimed to study the association between environmental noise with both acute (UCC) and cumulative (HCC) cortisol levels in children 5-12 years of age. To do so, we analysed data from the HELIX cohort -with spot UCC data- and from the Generation R and INMA cohorts (Gipuzkoa and Sabadell) -with HCC data. The analytical sample involved: 750 HELIX children (mean age = 7.75), 1326 Generation R children (mean age = 6.06), 111 INMA-Sabadell children (mean age = 8.75) and 288 INMA-Gipuzkoa children (mean age = 7.85). Day-evening-night equivalent (L<sub>den)</sub> environmental noise exposure during the year of the follow-up was estimated in the addresses of participants, using existing noise maps. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were used to identify appropriate covariates and reduce the chance for biased estimation. We used mixed-effects modelling and linear modelling to examine the association between L<sub>den</sub> and cortisol concentration using complete case analyses. None of the models reached the statistical significance. We observed no correlation between HCC and UCC in INMA-Sabadell participants, for whom both urinary and hair cortisol data were available. Future research should prioritize investigating the effects of environmental noise on HCC, as it may serve as a more reliable indicator for assessing associations with chronic exposures. Additionally, future studies on noise-induced health effects in children should incorporate other biomarkers of stress and chronic inflammation to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these associations.
Authors
- Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0120-4913)
- Aitana Lertxundi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9421-6237)
- Oliver Robinson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4735-0468)
- Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9461-7981)
- Rémy Slama (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8980-8529)
- Óscar J. Pozo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1735-9728)
- Sandra Andrušaitytė (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4309-0208)
- Norun Hjertager Krog (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6883-9609)
- Claire Philippat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4959-6648)
- Mònica Guxens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8624-0333)
- Ane Arregi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4781-5664)
- Gunn Marit Aasvang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3592-4831)
- Jorunn Evandt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1924-5740)
- Tiffany Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4549-7850)
- Nerea Lertxundi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7344-4433)
- Katerina Margetaki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9955-1985)
- Marianna Karachaliou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3014-0747)
- Martine Vrijheid (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7090-1758)
- Audrius Dėdelė (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7041-9980)
- Gonzalo García‐Baquero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6550-1584)
- Óscar Vegas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5329-6034)
- John Wright (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9572-7293)
- Rosemary McEachan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1302-6675)
- Mikel Subiza-Pérez
- Vincent W.V. Jaddoe
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NO)
- University of Crete (GR)
- Inserm (FR)
- University of the Basque Country (ES)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (ES)
- Universidad de Salamanca (ES)
- Vytautas Magnus University (LT)
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Erasmus MC (NL)
- Public Health England (GB)
- Hospital Del Mar (ES)
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Environmental Research
- Published
- 2025-04-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121541
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Noise Effects and Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 15.59
Funders
- Fundació la Marató de TV3
- Centres de Recerca de Catalunya
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- British Heart Foundation
- Department of Health and Social Care
- European Commission
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
- ZonMw
- Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
- Helse- og Omsorgsdepartementet
- Université Paris-Sud
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail
- Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale
- Institut pour la Recherche en Santé Publique
- Medical Research Council
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- FP7 Health
- CHIST-ERA