A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology has found that frequent mobile phone use is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly among smokers and individuals with diabetes.
The study, which followed 444,027 participants from the UK Biobank over a median period of 12.3 years, revealed that regular mobile phone users, defined as those making at least one call per week, faced a significantly higher risk of developing acute stroke, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.
Researchers identified several contributing factors to this association, including:
- Poor sleep patterns
- Psychological distress
- Neuroticism
Additionally, the study suggests that chronic exposure to radiation emitted from mobile phones may lead to oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which, combined with smoking and diabetes, could further increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Mobile phone use is a ubiquitous exposure in modern society, so exploring its impact on health has significant public health value,” said Yanjun Zhang, MD, from the Division of Nephrology at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Xianhui Qin of Nanfang Hospital concluded, “Further studies on this subject can help provide concrete evidence.”
The findings of this extensive prospective cohort study highlight the importance of considering the potential health implications of frequent mobile phone use, especially for individuals with existing risk factors such as smoking and diabetes.