Location, location, location. Real estate agents have understood the significance of that slogan through centuries of transactions; health researchers are beginning to realize it in different, potentially life-saving ways.
According to a study conducted at Heathrow Airport in London, plane noise could lead to higher rates of heart disease by as much as 10-20 percent. Researchers admit the results aren't conclusive, only suggestive of a connection between plane activity and death from heart complications, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal.
"The exact role that noise exposure may play in ill health is not well established," Dr. Anna Hansell of Imperial College London said in a press release.
Hansell later noted that lifestyle factors such as heredity, smoking, high blood pressure, obesisty, and diabetes are much higher contributing factors. She points to several factors created by planes that could impact cardiac health, including loss of sleep, a "startle reaction", and increases in blood pressure, according to the study.
Of the air plane noise, Hansell said, "... it is plausible that it might be contributing - for example, by raising blood pressure or by disturbing people's sleep.
"There's a 'startle reaction' to loud noise - if you're suddenly exposed to it, the heart rate and blood pressure increase. And aircraft noise can be annoying for some people, which can also affect their blood pressure, leading to illness," she added.
The results prove a point Heathrow Airport is largely aware of and has already taken preventative measures against.
"We are charging airlines more for noisier aircraft, offering insulation and double glazing to local residents and are working with noise campaigners to give people predictable periods of respite from noise," Matt Gorman, Heathrow Airport's director of sustainability told the Daily Times. "Together these measures have meant that the number of people affected by noise has fallen by 90% since the 1970s, despite the number of flights almost doubling."
Referring to the study and Heathrow's proactive solutions, the government issued this statement according to the Daily Times: "The number of people affected by high levels of noise around Heathrow has been falling for years due to improvements in aviation technology, better planning of flight paths and other factors. We would expect to see this trend continue."
Researchers advise those planning the construction of future airports to take the study's results into consideration.
