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Environmental Research Nov 2023Water fluoridation is considered a safe and effective public health strategy to improve oral health. This review aimed to systematically summarize the available evidence... (Review)
Review
Water fluoridation is considered a safe and effective public health strategy to improve oral health. This review aimed to systematically summarize the available evidence of water fluoridation in Australia, focusing on the history, health impacts, cost effectiveness, challenges, and limitations. A systematic search was conducted on the Ovid Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest Central, Cinahl, and Informit databases to identify literature on water fluoridation in Australia. A grey literature search and backward snowballing were used to capture additional literature. Primary studies, reviews, letters, and opinion papers were included in the quantitative analysis and summarized based on the year of publication and geographical location. The data were extracted from primary studies and summarized under three subheadings: history, community health impacts and the limitations and challenges. Water fluoridation in Australia was first implemented in 1953 in Tasmania. Most states and territories in Australia embraced water fluoridation by 1977 and currently, 89% of the Australian population has access to fluoridated drinking water. Studies report that water fluoridation has reduced dental caries by 26-44% in children, teenagers, and adults, benefiting everyone regardless of age, income, or access to dental care. It has been recognized as a cost-effective intervention to prevent dental caries, especially in rural and low-income areas. Water fluoridation as a public health measure has faced challenges, including political and public opposition, implementation and maintenance costs, access and equity, communication and education, and ethical concerns. Variations in research activities on water fluoridation across Australian states and territories over the last seven decades can be due to several factors, including the time of implementation, funding, and support. Ongoing monitoring and research to review and update optimal fluoride levels in drinking water in Australia is warranted to ensure sustainable benefits on oral health while preventing any adverse impacts.
PubMed: 37598841
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116915 -
ACS ES&T Water Dec 2023Astroviruses (AstVs) are a major cause of gastroenteritis, especially in children. They can be transmitted through various pathways, including environmental... (Review)
Review
Astroviruses (AstVs) are a major cause of gastroenteritis, especially in children. They can be transmitted through various pathways, including environmental contamination via water matrices. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of AstV in different types of water, such as untreated and treated wastewater, surface water (e.g., rivers, lakes, and seawater), groundwater, drinking water, and other water matrices (e.g., irrigation water, gray water, reservoir water, floodwater, and pig slaughterhouse effluents). The meta-analysis included 80 articles, and the overall prevalence of AstV in water matrices was 36.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) of 29.6-44.0]. The highest prevalence was found in untreated wastewater at 56.8% (95% CI of 41.5-71.5), followed by treated wastewater at 48.5% (95% CI of 30.6-66.5), surface water at 28.6% (95% CI of 21.1-36.7), other matrices at 9.8% (95% CI of 0.7-25.3), drinking water at 3.3% (95% CI of 0.2-8.7), and groundwater at 0.5% (95% CI of 0.0-3.4). The most frequent AstVs detected in water environments were human AstVs, but canine and feline AstVs were also detected. Our findings highlight the importance of water as a potential route for AstV transmission, even in high-income countries. Effective water surveillance and treatment measures are necessary to minimize AstV environmental circulation and human infection through water.
PubMed: 38094915
DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00415 -
Biomedica : Revista Del Instituto... Jun 2023Early introduction of fluids and water affects the duration of breastfeeding, the infant immune system, and possibly causes infants to consume less breast milk, which...
INTRODUCTION
Early introduction of fluids and water affects the duration of breastfeeding, the infant immune system, and possibly causes infants to consume less breast milk, which may, in turn, affect their nutritional and immune status.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to determine water consumption in 0-6-month-old infants and the factors affecting this consumption.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A literature review was conducted in seven electronic databases (Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and TÜBITAK) for studies published until April 25, 2022, using the keywords: drinking water, infant, and breastfeeding.
RESULTS
The systematic review included 13 studies. Five studies were crosssectional, three were descriptive and quasi-experimental, and the others were case-control and cohort studies. It was reported in the examined studies that 86.2% of the infants were around 6 weeks old, 44 % of the infants were 1 month old, 77% were 3 months old, 2.5% were 4 months old, and 2.5 to 85% of the infants were around 6 months old when they first consumed water. The prominent reasons for making the infants drink water are the thought that they need it and cultural reasons.
CONCLUSIONS
The exclusive breastfeeding of 0-6-month-old infants is the recommendation of reliable health authorities. Nurses play a key role in implementing this practice. In this systematic review, it was seen that families gave their infants water at varying rates in the 0-6-month period, and the factors affecting this situation were revealed. If nurses determine which factors affect families in terms of the early introduction of fluids, they could be able to plan the necessary education and interventions.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Drinking; Water; Breast Feeding; Databases, Factual; Educational Status
PubMed: 37433164
DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.6745 -
International Journal of Antimicrobial... Aug 2023Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing public health concerns; therefore, it is imperative to advance our understanding of the factors influencing... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing public health concerns; therefore, it is imperative to advance our understanding of the factors influencing AMR from Global and One Health perspectives. To address this, Aeromonas populations were identified using 16S rRNA gene libraries among human, agriculture, aquaculture, drinking water, surface water, and wastewater samples, supporting its use as indicator bacteria to study AMR. A systematic review and meta-analysis was then performed from Global and One Health perspectives, including data from 221 articles describing 15 891 isolates from 57 countries. The interconnectedness of different environments was evident as minimal differences were identified between sectors among 21 different antimicrobials. However, resistance to critically important antibiotics (aztreonam and cefepime) was significantly higher among wastewater populations compared with clinical isolates. Additionally, isolates from untreated wastewater typically exhibited increased AMR compared with those from treated wastewater. Furthermore, aquaculture was associated with increased AMR to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline compared with wild-caught seafood. Using the World Health Organization AWaRe classifications, countries with lower consumption of "Access" compared to "Watch" drugs from 2000 to 2015 demonstrated higher AMR levels. The current analysis revealed negative correlations between AMR and anthropogenic factors, such as environmental performance indices and socioeconomic standing. Environmental health and sanitation were two of the environmental factors most strongly correlated with AMR. The current analysis highlights the negative impacts of "Watch" drug overconsumption, anthropogenic activity, absence of wastewater infrastructure, and aquaculture on AMR, thus stressing the need for proper infrastructure and global regulations to combat this growing problem.
Topics: Humans; Aeromonas; Wastewater; Global Health; One Health; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents
PubMed: 37201798
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106848 -
Nutrients Mar 2024Water consumption is believed to be a key factor in weight management strategies, yet the existing literature on the subject yields inconsistent findings. To... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Water consumption is believed to be a key factor in weight management strategies, yet the existing literature on the subject yields inconsistent findings. To systematically assess the scientific evidence regarding the effect of water intake on adiposity, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) among overweight and obese populations.
METHODS
PubMed and Embase were searched for relevant articles published up to December 2023. The summary weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model.
RESULTS
In this meta-analysis of eight RCTs, interventions to promote water intake or to substitute water for other beverages as compared to the control group resulted in a summary WMD of -0.33 kg (95% CI = -1.75-1.08, = 78%) for body weight, -0.23 kg/m (95% CI = -0.55-0.09, = 0%) for body mass index (BMI), and 0.05 cm (95% CI = -1.20-1.30, = 40%) for waist circumference (WC). Among RCTs substituting water for artificially sweetened beverages, summary WMD was 1.82 kg (95% CI = 0.97-2.67, = 0%) for body weight and 1.23 cm (95% CI = -0.03-2.48, = 0%) for WC. Conversely, among RCTs substituting water for sugar-sweetened beverages, summary WMD was -0.81 kg (95% CI = -1.66-0.03, = 2%) for body weight and -0.96 cm (95% CI = -2.06-0.13, = 0%) for WC.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, water intake may not significantly impact adiposity among overweight and obese individuals. However, replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water might offer a modest benefit in inducing weight loss.
Topics: Humans; Overweight; Adiposity; Drinking; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Obesity; Body Weight; Water
PubMed: 38612997
DOI: 10.3390/nu16070963 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Interest in water chemical activity, its content, and its impact on human health has greatly increased throughout the last decade. Some studies suggest that drinking... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Interest in water chemical activity, its content, and its impact on human health has greatly increased throughout the last decade. Some studies suggest that drinking water with high hardness may have preventative effects on cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate the association between drinking water hardness and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
METHODS
The study selection process was designed to find the association between drinking water hardness and CVDs mortality. The search included both qualitative and quantitative research and was performed in three databases: Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics, Ann Arbor, MI, USA), PubMed (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MA, USA), and Scopus (Elsevier, RELX Group plc, London, UK). The project was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42020213102.
RESULTS
Seventeen studies out of a total of twenty-five studies qualitatively analyzed indicated a significant relation between total water hardness and protection from CVD mortality. The quantitative analysis concluded that high drinking water hardness has a significantly lowering effect on mortality from CVDs, however, the heterogeneity was high.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic literature review shows that total water hardness could affect CVD prevention and mortality. Due to the many confounding factors in the studies, more research is needed.
PubMed: 37685186
DOI: 10.3390/foods12173255 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Dec 2023Diarrhoeas, acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration, malaria and cholera are water-borne diseases with a high incidence in childhood and are one of the principal... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Diarrhoeas, acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration, malaria and cholera are water-borne diseases with a high incidence in childhood and are one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of 5 years, and predominantly so in developing countries. Various factors influence the population's vulnerability to these diseases. The objective of this work was to identify the factors of socio-environmental vulnerability associated with the occurrence of water-borne diseases (diarrhoeas, acute gastroenteritis with moderate dehydration, malaria and cholera).
METHODOLOGY
A systematic review of the literature was performed, with the databases PubMed, Scopus, B-On and Scielo to identify studies published between 2010 and 2021.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that the most significant factors related to vulnerability to water-borne diseases have to do with sanitation and the availability of clean drinking water; however, temperature and precipitation were also found to exert considerable influence, together with the demographic factor.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Cholera; Dehydration; Diarrhea; Gastroenteritis; Malaria; Water
PubMed: 38252714
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.18210 -
Toxicology Reports Jun 2024PAE and PC polymers, such as BPA, are utilized to make water bottles. Due to the lack of polymer-chemical interaction, PAE can enter drinking bottles during production,... (Review)
Review
PAE and PC polymers, such as BPA, are utilized to make water bottles. Due to the lack of polymer-chemical interaction, PAE can enter drinking bottles during production, wrapping, and keeping. Phthalates can transfer from the bottle to the water depending on keeping conditions (temperature, time, sunlight intensity), pH, and bottle capacity. Since there haven't been previous studies published on the subject, the aim of this meta-analysis and systematic review research is to determine the level of phthalates in drinking water consumed in Iranian cities. Web of Science, Science of Direct, Scopus, and PubMed, databases have been used in this study. Eight studies were selected from 556 initial publications after screening for duplication and irrelevant information. Articles from January 1, 2000, to February 10, 2024, were found in the mentioned databases. Among the types of phthalates, the concentration of DEHP was reported higher than the others Because its concentration has been reported in seven out of eight studies. The highest concentration of DEHP was reported by Mehraie(2.22 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.8 µg/l), Yousefi (0.77 µg/l), Abtahi (0.76 µg/l), Zare Jeddi (0.42 µg/l), Abdolahnejad(0.15 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.08 µg/l). The highest concentration of DEP, DBP, BBP, and PA was reported by Abtahi (0.77 µg/l) and Esteki (2.25 µg/l), Mehraie(0.93 µg/l), and Pourzamani (0.83 µg/l). The results of this study showed that the most important phthalates measured in drinking water include DEP, DEHP, DBP, BBP, and PA. According to the results of the present studies, the most important factor in the increase of phthalates is the storage conditions of drinking water (temperature, sunlight, and the type of pipe or bottle).
PubMed: 38495472
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.02.009 -
BMC Oral Health Jun 2024Dental fluorosis (DF) is caused by excessive exposure to fluoride during odontogenesis and leads to various changes in the development of tooth enamel. Some regions in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Dental fluorosis (DF) is caused by excessive exposure to fluoride during odontogenesis and leads to various changes in the development of tooth enamel. Some regions in Mexico are considered endemic fluorosis zones due to the high fluoride content in drinking water. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the association between the concentration of fluoride in drinking water and the severity of dental fluorosis in northern and western Mexico.
METHODS
This protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (ID: CRD42023401519). The search for information was carried out in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar databases between January 2015 and October 2023. The overall relative risk was calculated using the inverse of variance approach with the random effects method. The RoB 2.0 tool was used to construct risk plots.
RESULTS
Eleven articles were analyzed qualitatively, and most of the included studies presented at least one level of DF severity; six articles were analyzed quantitatively, dividing them into two regions. In North region it was observed a higher prevalence of severe TF cases, corresponding to ≥ TF 5 category (4.78) [3.55, 6.42]. In the West region, most of the included studies presented a higher prevalence of less severe cases, corresponding to ≤ TF 4, in comparison with the North region (0.01) [0.00, 0.52], interpreted as a protective effect.
CONCLUSION
The concentrations of fluorides in drinking water are reportedly high in these regions and are directly related to the severity of dental fluorosis experienced by the inhabitants. In the Northern region exists a major concentration of fluoride in drinking water compared with the Western region as well as a prevalence of higher severity cases of dental fluorosis.
Topics: Fluorosis, Dental; Humans; Mexico; Fluorides; Drinking Water; Severity of Illness Index; Prevalence
PubMed: 38898439
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04472-7 -
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Feb 2024The association between higher arsenic concentrations in drinking water and lung cancer is well-established. However, the risk associated with lower levels of arsenic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The association between higher arsenic concentrations in drinking water and lung cancer is well-established. However, the risk associated with lower levels of arsenic exposure remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the evidence on the relationship between exposure to arsenic in drinking water and lung cancer outcomes as measured over a broad range of exposures, including lower levels. A total of 51 studies were included in the review and 15 met criteria for inclusion in meta-analysis. Risk estimates for lung cancer incidence and mortality were pooled and analyzed separately using Bayesian hierarchical random-effects models with a Gaussian observation submodel for log(Risk), computed using the "brms" R package. For lung cancer incidence, the predicted posterior mean relative risks (RRs) at arsenic concentrations of 10, 50 and 150 μg/L were 1.11 (0.86-1.43), 1.67 (1.27-2.17) and 2.21 (1.61-3.02), respectively, with posterior probabilities of 79%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for the RRs to be >1. The posterior mean mortality ratios at 20, 50 and 150 μg/L were 1.22 (0.83-1.78), 2.10 (1.62-2.71) and 2.41 (1.88-3.08), respectively, with posterior probabilities being above 80%. In addition to observing the dose-response relationship, these findings demonstrate that individuals exposed to low to moderate levels of arsenic (<150 μg/L) were at an elevated risk of developing or dying from lung cancer. Given the widespread exposure to lower levels of arsenic, there is an urgent need for vigilance and potential revisions to regulatory guidelines to protect people from the cancer risks associated with arsenic exposure.
Topics: Humans; Drinking Water; Arsenic; Bayes Theorem; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Lung Neoplasms; Environmental Exposure
PubMed: 38218206
DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116808