More than one billion young people risk damaging their hearing through listening to loud music, the World Health Organization (WHO) late Friday said .
Another 40 percent are at risk from damaging audio levels at concert venues and night clubs.
Data analyzed by the UN agency indicates that almost half the population of developed countries between the ages of 12 and 35 are exposed to unsafe levels of noise from personal audio devices, while 40 percent risk hearing damage at entertainment venues.
Exposure to very high noise levels for a prolonged period can lead to irreversible damage to the ears. The highest noise level at the workplace must not exceed 85 decibels for up to eight hours a day. Many staff working in nightclubs, bars and sporting events are exposed to higher levels than that.
Exposure to more than 100 decibels is usual in such spaces.
According to the WHO, such levels of noise should not take place more than a quarter of an hour a day.
For the International Ear Care Day on March 3, the WHO recommends simple preventive measures. Teens should reduce the volume of their audio devices and smartphones, they should avoid using earphones for more than one hour a day and put ear plugs in noisy premises. They should also monitor their hearing and make regular checkups. Governments should impose strict regulations on noise in public places, adds the WHO.
Worldwide, 360 million people currently suffer from hearing loss. Hearing loss is due to various causes, such as infectious diseases, genetic, complications at birth, use of certain drugs, in addition to noise and aging.
According to data collected by WHO, about 50% of young people aged between 12 and 35 from countries with high and medium income are exposed to extremely high noise levels.
These levels are of the order of 85 decibels for eight hours straight and 100 decibels for 15 minutes per day. 85 decibels represent the sound of traffic during peak hours. As a reference, a vuvuzela trumpet is 120 decibels, and 9 seconds of listening per day are enough to inflict permanent damage to one’s ears.