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Living under flight path, drives up blood pressure: study

New research has found a possible link between high blood pressure and living close to a flight path.

A study in Stockholm has found the noise of aircraft flying overhead may be damaging to people's health.

Researchers compared 266 people living close to Stockholm's Arland Airport with people who lived in another part of the area, away from aircraft noise.

In areas subjected to intense noise levels, above 55 decibels, 20 per cent of people had high blood pressure.

In less noisy neighbourhoods, just 14 per cent of people had high blood pressure.

Older people and those with good hearing were more likely to report high blood pressure if they lived in areas of high noise.

Dr. Mats Rosenlund who headed the study for the Stockholm County Council says aircraft noise cranks up stress levels. Rosenlund said aircraft noise was likely to cause problems when it interfered with people's ability to think, relax or sleep.

Rosenlund says his study isn't conclusive and only indicates a "relationship" between exposure to aircraft noise and hypertension.

He does warn that with increased stress levels, people are more prone to cardiovascular disease.

Consumer groups agree with the research. Monica Robb of Clear Skies in Britain claims people living under flight paths are also more likely to have asthma and cancer.

"Noise from planes is relentless," says Robb. "Noise is a tremendous irritant ... manufacturers say that individual planes are less noisy than they used to be, but there are now so many more of them."

The research is published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.