Socio-demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics among snus users and dual tobacco users in Stockholm County, Sweden

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics of snus users have not been systematically described. Such knowledge is pivotal for tobacco control efforts and for the assessment of health effects of snus use.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted, based on the Stockholm Public Health Survey, including a population-based sample of 34,707 men and women aged 18-84 years. We examined how socio-demographic, lifestyle and health-related characteristics were associated with the prevalence of current daily snus use, smoking and dual tobacco use. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios of prevalence (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Low educational level (OR = 1.60, CI = 1.41-1.81 and OR = 1.49, CI = 1.17-1.89, for men and women respectively), as well as occupational class and low income were associated with snus use. Some unfavourable lifestyle characteristics, including risky alcohol consumption (males: OR = 1.81, CI = 1.63-2.02; females: OR = 1.79, CI = 1.45-2.20), binge drinking and low consumption of fruit and vegetables were also associated with snus use. In contrast, physical inactivity and overweight/obesity were not, nor was perceived health. The prevalence of smoking followed steeper gradients for social as well as lifestyle characteristics. Overweight and obese men were however less often smokers. Perceived poor general health and psychological distress were highly related to smoking. Social disadvantage, as well as unhealthy lifestyle and self-reported poor health were strongly associated with dual use. There were limited differences between men and women.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The social, lifestyle and health profiles of exclusive snus users in Stockholm County are less favourable than those of non-users of tobacco, but more advantageous than those of exclusive smokers. This knowledge should guide tobacco control measures as well as the interpretation of health risks linked to snus use.</p

Spectral density constraints on wireless communication

Environmental exposure to man-made electromagnetic field (EMF) has been rising as modern technologies have grown and changed in social behaviour have generated more synthetic sources. For the safety of human health, EMF levels need to be regulated. The level of EMF should be well below levels where there might be harm, hence we do not expect to see any health effects at these levels. Current regulations fail to place a strict limit on EMF in situations where multiple nearby devices transmit simultaneously. The way these regulations are expressed needs great care because it will have an effect on the design of wireless communication systems. In this paper, it is argued that transmitted power constraints on wireless communication devices should be expressed in a different way, namely that devices should limit the EMF spectral density that they generate to the difference between the maximum allowed, by the standard, and the amount currently present, as measured by the device, in the spectral region where it is active. Note that the limit on EMF should be expressed in terms of its EMF spectral density rather than as a total EMF over each of a series of separate bands. If all devices limit their own EMF spectral density, in the spectral region where they are active, in such a way that total EMF spectral density is below the regulated limit in that region, then it is certain that the aggregate EMF spectral density will be below the regulated limit at all frequencies

Functional plant science and biotechnology

This chapter reviews the biological effects and the consequences for health that result from exposure to extremely low-frequency (ELF) fields and radiofrequency (RF) radiation - time-varying electromagnetic fields (EMFs) up to 300 GHz. The well-established effects of exposure to ELF frequencies result from the interaction of induced electric fields and currents with electrically excitable nerve and muscle tissue, whereas exposure to sufficiently intense RF radiation results in whole-body and/or localized tissue heating. The chapter reviews these effects and the effects of exposure to much lower EMF levels such as those encountered in the environment. The final section summarizes existing health-risk assessments and the current International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation guidelines on exposure

Systematic review of wireless phone use and brain cancer and other head tumors

Repacholi MH, Lerchl A, Roosli M, et al. Systematic review of wireless phone use and brain cancer and other head tumors. Bioelectromagnetics. 2012;33(3):187-206.We conducted a systematic review of scientific studies to evaluate whether the use of wireless phones is linked to an increased incidence of the brain cancer glioma or other tumors of the head (meningioma, acoustic neuroma, and parotid gland), originating in the areas of the head that most absorb radiofrequency (RF) energy from wireless phones. Epidemiology and in vivo studies were evaluated according to an agreed protocol; quality criteria were used to evaluate the studies for narrative synthesis but not for meta-analyses or pooling of results. The epidemiology study results were heterogeneous, with sparse data on long-term use (=10 years). Meta-analyses of the epidemiology studies showed no statistically significant increase in risk (defined as P<0.05) for adult brain cancer or other head tumors from wireless phone use. Analyses of the in vivo oncogenicity, tumor promotion, and genotoxicity studies also showed no statistically significant relationship between exposure to RF fields and genotoxic damage to brain cells, or the incidence of brain cancers or other tumors of the head. Assessment of the review results using the Hill criteria did not support a causal relationship between wireless phone use and the incidence of adult cancers in the areas of the head that most absorb RF energy from the use of wireless phones. There are insufficient data to make any determinations about longer-term use (=10 years). Bioelectromagnetics 33:187206, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc