Study on mobile phone radiation

NST: The debate has been going on for some time on whether long-term use of handphones affects health. However, there has been no conclusive evidence either way.
This has prompted the World Health Organisation to undertake a study among children and youngsters on the effects of handphone use.
And it has chosen the University Malaya Medical Centre to lead the study.
UMMC has started tabulating data on children and teenagers’ understanding of handphone radiation.
UMMC radiologist Professor Dr Ng Kwan Hoong said this was the first time such a study was being conducted.
"Although it is not proven that handphone radiation poses a danger to users, the WHO is doing the study based on a precautionary principle."
After the final results are compiled, an educational website will be set up for schoolchildren to learn more about handphones and electromagnetic fields.
The study (http://www.biij.org/who/survey/) has polled 1,200 of those aged between six and 17 in more than 50 countries, including Malaysia.
The statistics so far show that 36 per cent of those in this age group own a handphone.
One of the questions asked in the survey was whether they thought using a handphone could affect their health. Only 4.1 per cent of respondents agreed, saying they felt that headaches would be the most common problem.
Others said nausea (15 per cent) and dizziness (24.4 per cent) while 25.7 per cent said they did not think there would be health problems.
Rodney Chua, 17, is one of those who does not believe that handphones damage the body. "It’s not true," he said.
He has been using a handphone for the past six years and spends two to three hours a day on it.
Chua is part of the 73 per cent of respondents in the survey who say they carry their phones in their pocket.
A total of 18.6 per cent carry it in a pouch while eight per cent hang their phones around the necks.
The study also shows that 62.8 per cent did not know that handphones used radio waves to send signals and messages.
Dr Ng said the study, which aimed for 10,000 respondents, was timely and necessary.
"All the data we have is on adults, not children, but the young handphone user market is growing. In 10 years, youngsters’ market for handphones is expected to hit US$1 trillion (RM3.75 trillion)."