SynthesisBMC public health2025
Impact of artificial light at night on obesity and overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- SEX-DEPENDENT MODULATION OF WHOLE BRAIN cFOS EXPRESSION BY LIGHT AND MELANOPSIN IN THE MOUSE.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Chronodisruption as an Emerging Determinant of Weight Loss Trajectories after Metabolic Bariatric Surgery: A Scoping Review.Obesity surgery · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundGlobal obesity rates are rising sharply, prompting interest in environmental drivers beyond diet and activity. Widespread artificial light at night disrupts circadian rhythms and metabolism. potentially elevating obesity risk, but evidence syntheses are outdated and limited.
methodsWe conducted a systematic search of databases including PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Eligible observational studies (cohort or cross-sectional) were required to report adjusted risk estimates (odds ratio [OR], relative risk [RR], or hazard ratio [HR] with 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]) for obesity or overweight, with quantifiable LAN exposure. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies and the AHRQ criteria for cross-sectional studies. A random-effects model was applied for effect size pooling, alongside subgroup analyses stratified by geographic region, age, and sex, supported by sensitivity analyses and Egger's test for publication bias assessment.
resultsOur analysis included 13 studies involving 867,647 participants (9 cross-sectional and 4 cohort studies). A significant 14% increased risk of obesity was observed in the highest LAN exposure group compared to the lowest (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07-1.22; I² = 92.5%, P < 0.001). For overweight risk, a 7% increase was noted (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00-1.15; I² = 92.5%, P < 0.001). Regionally, the strongest association was in North America (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.10-1.32; I² = 46.6%, P = 0.132) and significant in Asia (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06-1.21; I² = 85.5%, P < 0.001), but not in Europe. Age-wise, both adults (OR = 1.16) and adolescents (OR = 1.17) exhibited significant associations (P < 0.05), with no notable differences between sexes. All studies were deemed high quality (mean NOS score: 7.50; mean AHRQ score: 7.56), and sensitivity analyses confirmed the findings with no evidence of publication bias (P > 0.05).
conclusionsExposure to LAN significantly correlates with increased obesity and overweight risks, influenced by geographic and age-specific factors. These results highlight LAN as a noteworthy environmental risk factor for metabolic health, advocating for informed public health strategies, including region-specific lighting regulations and "screen curfews" for adolescents.
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