Summary: A study conducted by Flinders University highlights a significant link between exposure to bright light at night and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The research tracked light exposure and health outcomes of around 85,000 participants over nine years, finding that those exposed to more light at night were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The study suggests that minimizing light exposure during nighttime could be a simple and cost-effective strategy to prevent or delay the onset of this chronic condition.
Key Takeaways:
- Increased Risk: Exposure to bright light at night significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, independent of daytime light exposure.
- Circadian Disruption: Bright nighttime light disrupts circadian rhythms, leading to changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism, which are key factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.
- Preventive Measure: Reducing nighttime light exposure and maintaining a dark sleeping environment may be a simple and cost-effective way to help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Avoiding bright light at night could be a simple way to reduce the risk of diabetes, a Flinders University study shows.
The study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe reveals the compelling relationship between exposure to light and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 (acquired) diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body uses insulin. It develops over many years, is difficult to treat, and is usually related to lifestyle factors such as inactivity and obesity.
Study Overview and Findings
“We found that exposure to brighter light at night was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” says senior author Associate Professor Andrew Phillips, PhD, from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
In the large modeling study, the research team investigated whether personal light exposure patterns predicted the risk of diabetes using data from approximately 85,000 people and around 13 million hours of light sensor data.
The participants, who did not have type 2 diabetes, wore devices on their wrist for one week to track their light levels throughout the day and night. They were then tracked over the following nine years to observe whether they went on to develop type 2 diabetes.
Impact of Nighttime Light Exposure
“Light exposure at night can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism,” he says in a release. “Changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism caused by disrupted circadian rhythms affect the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, which can ultimately lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.”
Having more exposure to light at night (between 12:30 am and 6 am) was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and this was true regardless of how much light people were exposed to during the day.
Addressing Contributing Factors
The research accounted for other factors associated with type 2 diabetes, such as lifestyle habits, sleep patterns, shift work, diet, and mental health.
Even after taking these factors into account, the findings showed that getting more light at night was still a strong predictor of developing diabetes.
“The results showed that exposure to brighter light at night is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes, with a dose-dependent relationship between light exposure and risk,” says Phillips in a release. “Our findings suggest that reducing your light exposure at night and maintaining a dark environment may be an easy and cheap way to prevent or delay the development of diabetes.”
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