Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health
2015,
12,
14519-14528; doi:10.3390/ijerph121114519
OPEN ACCESS
International Journal of
Environmental Research and
Public Health
ISSN 1660-4601
www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Article
Association of Exposure to Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic
Field Radiation (RF-EMFR) Generated by Mobile Phone Base
Stations with Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Risk of Type 2
Diabetes Mellitus
Sultan Ayoub Meo
1,
*, Yazeed Alsubaie
1
, Zaid Almubarak
1
, Hisham Almutawa
1
,
Yazeed AlQasem
1
and Rana Muhammed Hasanato
2
1
2
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925,
Department of Clinical Bio-Chemistry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925,
*
Tel.: +96-611-467-1604; Fax: +96-611-467-2567.
Academic Editor: Omorogieva Ojo
Received: 15 September 2015 / Accepted: 11 November 2015 / Published: 13 November 2015
Abstract:
Installation of mobile phone base stations in residential areas has initiated public
debate about possible adverse effects on human health. This study aimed to determine the
association of exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic field radiation (RF-EMFR)
generated by mobile phone base stations with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and
occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. For this study, two different elementary schools
(school-1 and school-2) were selected. We recruited 159 students in total; 96 male
students from school-1, with age range 12–16 years, and 63 male students with age range
12–17 years from school-2. Mobile phone base stations with towers existed about 200 m
away from the school buildings. RF-EMFR was measured inside both schools. In school-1,
RF-EMFR was 9.601 nW/cm
2
at frequency of 925 MHz, and students had been exposed to
RF-EMFR for a duration of 6 h daily, five days in a week. In school-2, RF-EMFR was
1.909 nW/cm
2
at frequency of 925 MHz and students had been exposed for 6 h daily,
five days in a week. 5–6 mL blood was collected from all the students and HbA1c was