"Mobile phone use is a ubiquitous exposure in modern society, so exploring its impact on health has significant public health value. Radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phones cause dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress, and are therefore expected to affect a variety of organs such as the heart and blood vessels. However, whether mobile phone use is associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases remains uncertain,” said study author, Yanjun Zhang, MD, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, in a press release.
For the current study, the researchers investigated the link between regular mobile phone use and incident cardiovascular disease. To do so, they analyzed data from 444, 027 individuals from the UK Biobank without a history of cardiovascular disease who reported their phone use between 2006 and 2010. Regular mobile phone use was characterized as having at least one call per week. Patients were followed for an average of 12.3 years. The role of sleep patterns, psychological distress, and neuroticism were also investigated.
Ultimately, the researchers found that regular mobile phone users had a significantly higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease than non-regular users. Among regular mobile users, time spent on mobile phones each week positively correlated with risk CVD risk. This link was especially strong among current smokers, and diabetic individuals. The researchers further found that sleep patterns, psychological stress, and neuroticism mediated the relationship between weekly mobile phone usage time and CVD.
An accompanying editorial contextualized the study. It noted that as the recruitment window of the study occurred prior to the widespread use of smartphones, the generalizability and relevance of the findings ‘require careful consideration’.
Co-author of the editorial, Nicholas Grubic, MSc, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON, Canada, said in a press release: "While the current study suggests that using a mobile phone may moderately increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, more conclusive evidence with valid measurements of mobile phone use is needed before this association becomes a concern for the general public. Maintaining responsible mobile phone habits should be a valuable component of an all-encompassing approach to supporting cardiovascular health. Before diving into hours of mindless 'doom-scrolling' on your smartphone today, consider redirecting this time toward a more heart-healthy activity."
Sources: Science Daily, Canadian Journal of Cardiology
