Epidemiological study (observational study)

Effects of electromagnetic fields on serum lipids in workers of a power plant epidem.

By: Wang Z, Wang L, Zheng S, Ding Z, Liu H, Jin W, Pan Y, Chen Z, Fei Y, Chen G, Xu Z, Yu Y

Published in: Environ Sci Pollut Res 2016; 23 (3): 2495-2504

A cross-sectional study was conducted in China to evaluate the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields on levels of serum lipids in workers of an electric power plant.

The results on plasma hormonal and inflammatory pathway biomarkers in 154 participants of same study population were published by Wang et al (2015).
A blood sample was taken from each participant to analyze serum lipid levels.
Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields included radiofrequency and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Remark EMF-Portal: The parameters for classification into 'low occupational EMF exposure' and 'high occupational EMF exposure' are not stated.

Type of risk estimation:

questionnaire: job titles, job description, walkie talkies usage, daily occupational exposure duration and employment duration (years); mobile phone fee per month and electric fee in family per month
measurement: spot measurements of occupational electric field strength and magnetic flux density

Group	Description
Reference group 1	low occupational exposure
Group 2	high occupational exposure
Reference group 3	low occupational exposure, employment duration: < 24 years
Group 4	low occupational exposure, employment duration: ≥ 24 years
Group 5	high occupational exposure, employment duration: < 24 years
Group 6	high occupational exposure, employment duration: ≥ 24 years
Reference group 7	low occupational exposure, daily duration: < 3.37 hours/day
Group 8	low occupational exposure, daily duration: ≥ 3.37 hours/day
Group 9	high occupational exposure, daily duration: < 3.37 hours/day
Group 10	high occupational exposure, daily duration: ≥ 3.37 hours/day
Reference group 11	low occupational exposure: no Walkie Talkie use
Group 12	low occupational exposure: Walkie Talkie use
Group 13	high occupational exposure: no Walkie Talkie use
Group 14	high occupational exposure: Walkie Talkie use
Reference group 15	low occupational exposure and monthly electric fee: < 150 yuan/month
Group 16	low occupational exposure and monthly electric fee: ≥ 150 yuan/month
Group 17	high occupational exposure and monthly electric fee: < 150 yuan/month
Group 18	high occupational exposure and monthly electric fee: ≥ 150 yuan/month
Reference group 19	low occupational exposure and mobile phone fee: < 55 yuan/month
Group 20	low occupational exposure and mobile phone fee: ≥ 55 yuan/month
Group 21	high occupational exposure and mobile phone fee: < 55 yuan/month
Group 22	high occupational exposure and mobile phone fee: ≥ 55 yuan/month

Statistical analysis method:

The average intensity of occupational EMF was 316.3±1212.3 V/m for electric field and 6.17±14.71 µT for magnetic fields in high exposure group, which far outstripped that in low exposure group (3.9±0.3 V/m and 60.6±16.9 nT, respectively).
High occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (group 2) was associated with an increased level of LDL cholesterol compared to the reference group 1. No statistically significant associations between exposure to electromagnetic fields and serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride were found.
High exposure groups with longer employment duration, longer daily exposure duration, more mobile phone or electric fee per month had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, or triglyceride than the corresponding reference group. Significantly decreased level of HDL cholesterol was only observed in high EMF exposure group with more mobile phone fee per month. Similar results were also found in 544 participants with available data of serum lipids in 2010.
The authors concluded that chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields was associated with the change of serum lipid levels.

Bagheri Hosseinabadi M et al. (2021): Oxidative stress associated with long term occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields
Bagheri Hosseinabadi M et al. (2020): Investigating the effects of exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on job burnout syndrome and the severity of depression; the role of oxidative stress
Hosseinabadi MB et al. (2019): The Effect of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Role of Oxidative Stress
Hosseinabadi MB et al. (2019): Effect of long-term occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on proinflammatory cytokine and hematological parameters
Wang Z et al. (2016): Effects of electromagnetic fields exposure on plasma hormonal and inflammatory pathway biomarkers in male workers of a power plant
Balakrishnan K et al. (2014): Hsp70 is an independent stress marker among frequent users of mobile phones
Kula B et al. (1999): Effect of Electromagnetic Field on Serum Biochemical Parameters in Steelworkers