How your phone could be increasing your risk of serious health conditions
PHONE calls drive up blood pressure and put strain on the heart, a study found.
Experts compared data on daily mobile use and new cases of high blood pressure in 212,046 Brits aged 37 to 73.
They found phone users had a seven per cent higher risk of developing the condition — compared with people who did not regularly use a mobile.
People who chatted for 30 minutes or more per week had a 12 per cent higher risk than those who used phones but spent less time on calls.
More than six hours per week increased blood pressure risk by 25 per cent.
Around one in four UK adults already has high blood pressure and face a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Writing in the European Heart Journal, China-based Prof Xianhui Qin said radio waves emitted by phones have been linked to higher blood pressure.
Or it could be that heavy phone users have worse mental health, which affects their heart.
Prof Qin explained: “The number of minutes people spend talking on a mobile matters for heart health.
“More minutes mean greater risk.
“Use of a hands-free set-up had no influence on the likelihood of developing high blood pressure.
“More research is required to replicate our results, but until then it seems prudent to keep mobile phone calls to a minimum.”
Nearly all Brits have a mobile and 92 per cent now use a smartphone.
We spend almost five hours per day on our devices, with most eaten up by addictive apps like social networks, videos, games and banking.
Cracked screams
MORE than half of mobile users have smashed the screen, a survey found — with phones dropped four times a month on average.
One in 20 cannot afford to get the screen fixed and keep using it, a third get it repaired at a shop — and one in six just get a new phone.
The Nokia survey found that one in four users has dropped a phone down the loo, and one in 14 put it in the washing machine.