A recent study published by the Occupational & Environmental Medicine Journal found a link between noise and weight gain.
According to the findings, for every 5 dB increase in exposure to noise (being road traffic, road and aircraft) there was a 0.21cm increase in waist size. Weight gain around the middle of the body is considered to be the most detrimental to a person’s health.
In addition, the study suggested that exposure to noise triggers the body to accumulate fat around the middle of the body as well as affecting sleep, appetite control and energy expenditure. These can all attribute to weight gain and central obesity. "Traffic noise may influence metabolic and cardiovascular functions through sleep disturbances and chronic stress,"
Andrei Pyko, lead author of similar research at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, confirms. The effects of noise can have a domino effect, even leading to noise induced strokes. A recent Danish Diet, Cancer and Health survey in Copenhagen released results that indicated 18% of participants suffered a stroke from road traffic noise.
The reality on how noise effects everyday community life means it is important for those responsible for creating excessive noise to do what is possible to minimize these impacts. The advent of large music festivals, construction sites, and infrastructure projects means that excessive noise is inescapable. Controlling excessive noise can often be difficult due to the nature of noise, and current methods are usually time consuming and labour intensive; an unattractive solution for organisations.
Echo Barrier, where acoustic technology has been engineered to be a portable, quick and easy solution to unwanted noise for construction sites and events in Australia and New Zealand, is available for rental and purchase.
Echo Barrier challenges how the industry currently looks at noise control, and is making a presence within the construction/trade industry. Recently exhibiting at Civenex, Australia’s largest Public Works Expo as well as RTAA’s Field Day, Echo Barrier aims to support contractors and the decision makers to be proactive in protecting the community within their noise mitigation plans.
To learn about how Echo Barrier can assist with a temporary noise solution, please contact us on +61 02 8006 1131 or visit www.echobarrier.com.au