Light pollution is making you sick, fat. Yet regulatory practices remain scant

Around 80% of the world's population lives under skies classified as "light-polluted," according to the World Atlas of Artificial Sky Luminance (2016).While establishing a direct causal relationship between light pollution and metabolic diseases in India is challenging due to the lack of controlled studies, there is ample global evidence showing that light pollution has severe health impacts, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease.advertisementClinical practice has consistently shown that hormonal imbalances and metabolic dysfunctions, including diabetes, have increased manifold in areas with high exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN).
Experts have flagged stress, disrupted sleep, and circadian rhythm imbalances, all of which are exacerbated by light pollution, as major contributors.A team of researchers from the School of Planning and Architecture, in their study "Light Pollution in India: Appraisal of Artificial Night Sky Brightness of Cities", identified Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai as the most light-polluted cities in India.
Experts have flagged stress, disrupted sleep, and circadian rhythm imbalances, all of which are exacerbated by light pollution, as major contributors. ()
advertisementThey classified light pollution as a side effect of rapid urbanisation, and the researchers further highlighted how increased use of outdoor lighting and rising night-sky brightness pose significant threats to both human health and environmental well-being.OBESITY SPIKESA 2024 paper published in the Diabetes & Metabolism Journal described light pollution as an "alarming trend", stating that pervasive use of ALAN is emerging as a disruptor of natural circadian rhythms, potentially leading to unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as poor sleep and erratic eating patterns. Read the full paperGerman researchers Jorien Laermans and Inge Depoortere, renowned for their work on circadian biology and metabolism, found that urban light pollution is a major circadian disruptor, and an emerging risk factor for obesity.Globally, artificial light at night is increasing by about 6% annually, and researchers such as Hlker, Fonken, and Nelson have all acknowledged its impact on rising obesity rates.CANCER AND CIRCADIAN DISRUPTIONAnd that's just the beginning of the damage.A Spanish study found higher risks of breast and prostate cancer among people exposed to elevated levels of artificial light at night. An Israeli study recorded a 73% increase in breast cancer incidence in areas with high night-time illumination. ALAN is believed to subdue melatonin, an essential hormone for regulating circadian rhythms.
Globally, artificial light at night is increasing by about 6% annually. ()
This influences cancer development either through hormonal disruption, or impaired DNA repair, or even increased cell proliferation, and chronic inflammation.MISSING IN ACTION: REGULATIONStreetlights, illuminated billboards, neon signage, white industrial and office lighting at night, and household lights are known to be major sources of light pollution.While about 1 crore smart LED streetlights have been installed in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, HP, Haryana and other states (annual energy savings of 6.71 billion kWh and reduction of GHG emission by 4.63 million tCO2 every year), light pollution itself remains largely unregulated.Not so long ago, in April 2025, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that there is no statutory framework in India to regulate light pollution, highlighting a critical policy gap.Earlier, in December 2024, the Panchtatva Foundation had also filed a case citing ALAN's disastrous impact on human circadian health. The NGT proactively sought responses from relevant ministries but till date no concrete regulatory action has been issued.Artificial light at night may be invisible to the eye as a pollutant, but its impact on public health, ecology, and climate is undeniable. It's time policymakers took ALAN seriously before our cities become even brighter, fatter, and sicker.Must Watch

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