-
The Science of the Total Environment Dec 2023Reliance on groundwater is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa as development programmes work towards improving water access and strengthening resilience to climate change.... (Review)
Review
Reliance on groundwater is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa as development programmes work towards improving water access and strengthening resilience to climate change. In lower-income areas, groundwater supplies are typically installed without water quality treatment infrastructure or services. This practice is underpinned by an assumption that untreated groundwater is typically suitable for drinking due to the relative microbiological safety of groundwater compared to surface water; however, chemistry risks are largely disregarded. This article systematically reviews groundwater chemistry results from 160 studies to evaluate potential health risk in two case countries: Ethiopia and Kenya. Most studies evaluated drinking water suitability, focusing on priority parameters (fluoride, arsenic, nitrate, or salinity; 18 %), pollution impacts (10 %), or overall suitability (45 %). The remainder characterised general hydrogeochemistry (13 %), flow dynamics (10 %), or water quality suitability for irrigation (3 %). Only six studies (4 %) reported no exceedance of drinking water quality thresholds. Thus, chemical contaminants occur widely in groundwaters that are used for drinking but are not regularly monitored: 78 % of studies reported exceedance of contaminants that have direct health consequences ranging from hypertension to disrupted cognitive development and degenerative disease, and 81 % reported exceedance of aesthetic parameters that have indirect health impacts by influencing perception and use of groundwater versus surface water. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal coverage of sampling has substantial gaps and data availability bias is driven by a) the tendency for research to concentrate in areas with known water quality problems, and b) analytical capacity limitations. Improved in-country analytical capacity could bolster more efficient assessment and prioritisation of water chemistry risks. Overall, this review demonstrates that universal and equitable access to safe drinking water (Sustainable Development Goal target 6.1) will not be achieved without wider implementation of groundwater treatment, thus a shift is required in how water systems are designed and managed.
Topics: Water Supply; Environmental Monitoring; Drinking Water; Ethiopia; Kenya; Groundwater; Water Quality; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 37689199
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166929 -
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 -
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 -
Nutrients Jul 2023This systematic review investigates the potential health and wellness benefits of natural calcium-rich mineral waters. It emphasizes the importance of dietary calcium... (Review)
Review
This systematic review investigates the potential health and wellness benefits of natural calcium-rich mineral waters. It emphasizes the importance of dietary calcium sourced from natural mineral waters in promoting bone health, maintaining cardiovascular function, aiding in weight management, and enhancing overall well-being. The review process involved the comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles, clinical trials, and experimental studies published within the last decade. Findings reveal that consuming calcium-rich mineral water can contribute significantly to daily calcium intake, particularly for those with lactose intolerance or individuals adhering to plant-based diets. The unique bioavailability of calcium from such waters also appears to enhance absorption, thus potentially offering an advantage over other calcium sources. The potential benefits extend to the cardiovascular system, with some studies indicating a reduction in blood pressure and the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that calcium-rich mineral water might have a role in body weight management, though further research is needed. The review identifies several areas requiring additional research, such as the potential interaction between calcium-rich mineral water and other dietary components, the effects on populations with specific health conditions, and the long-term effects of consumption. In conclusion, natural calcium-rich mineral waters show promise as a readily accessible and bioavailable sources of dietary calcium, potentially beneficial for a broad range of individuals. However, further investigation is required to fully understand its range of health impacts and define optimal intake levels.
Topics: Humans; Calcium; Calcium, Dietary; Mineral Waters; Bone and Bones; Cardiovascular Diseases
PubMed: 37513544
DOI: 10.3390/nu15143126 -
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 -
Risk factors associated with childhood stunting in Indonesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical... 2023In Indonesia, stunting is one of the most public health concerns. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze childhood stunting risk factors in the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
In Indonesia, stunting is one of the most public health concerns. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze childhood stunting risk factors in the country.
METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN
We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational (cross-sectional and longitudi-nal) studies on stunting risk factors published between 2010 and 2021 based on available publications in online databases of PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO, and google scholar. The quality of the publications was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale and organized according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Publication bias was examined using Egger's and Begg's tests.
RESULTS
A total of 17 studies from the literature search satisfied the inclusion criteria, with 642,596 subjects. The pooled stunting prevalence was 30.9% (95% CI 25.0%-36.8%). Children born with low birth weight (POR 2.39, 2.07-2.76), female (POR 1.05, 1.03-1.08), and did not get the deworming program (1.10, 1.07-1.12) are the primary child characteristics that contributed to stunting. Meanwhile, maternal age ≥ 30 years (POR 2.33, 2.23-2.44), preterm birth (POR 2.12, 2.15-2.19), and antenatal care <4 times (POR 1.25, 1.11-1.41) were among mother characteristics consistently associated with stunting. The primary household and community risk factors for stunting were food insecurity (POR 2.00, 1.37-2.92), unimproved drinking water (POR 1.42, 1.26-1.60), rural residence (POR 1.31, 1.20-1.42), and unimproved sanitation (POR 1.27, 1.12-1.44).
CONCLUSIONS
A diverse range of risk factors associated with childhood stunting in In-donesia demonstrates the need to emphasize nutrition programs by scaling up to more on these determinants.
Topics: Child; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Humans; Female; Adult; Indonesia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Premature Birth; Growth Disorders; Mothers
PubMed: 37382316
DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.202306_32(2).0001 -
Heliyon Jun 2023Water is essential for the survival of humans, animals and plants. Numerous research has been conducted on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of () in water from... (Review)
Review
Water is essential for the survival of humans, animals and plants. Numerous research has been conducted on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of () in water from various African countries, however, there is lack of comprehensive analysis of published literature. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines where articles published in English language between January 2000 and March 2022 were searched from ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, African Journal Online (AJO), and Africa Index Medicus (AIM). Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Ver 3.0 software was used to analyze the data. The pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) with 95% confidence interval was calculated using the random-effects model (CI). The overall PPE and antimicrobial resistance trends of isolated from water was screened from 4009 isolates which were isolated from 2586 samples. We extracted data from 17 studies including drinking water ( = 6), rivers (n = 5), wastewaters ( = 4) and wastewater/river ( = 1) which are all covering 27 countries in Africa with 3438 isolates. The PPE of in water was 71.7% (0.717; 95% CI: 0.562-0.833). The highest PPE antibiotic resistance was against penicillin followed by erythromycin, and ampicilin with resistance rates of 93.4%, 92.3%, and 69.4%, respectively. This systematic review provides critical evidence of consolidated prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles, as well as regions where future studies and enhanced reporting could be beneficial in the African continent.
PubMed: 37274713
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16123 -
The Science of the Total Environment Sep 2023Low-income countries are struggling with the health impacts of both surface and groundwater chemical contamination. Although the impact of biological contaminants on... (Review)
Review
Low-income countries are struggling with the health impacts of both surface and groundwater chemical contamination. Although the impact of biological contaminants on children's health is acknowledged, the long-term effects of these and emerging contaminants on young children may be underestimated. To map the existing evidence on health impacts of water contaminated with chemicals on young children (<5 years), we conducted a scoping review to select and organize relevant literature. Of the 98 studies in the review, 24 revealed that the hazard ratio of arsenic, nitrates, cadmium, and fluoride (all of which are on the World Health Organisation's list of 10 chemicals of public health concern) was higher in very young children than in older age groups. Anthropogenic activities (textile manufacturing, waste disposal, and intensified agriculture) are leading contributors to the release of chemicals to groundwater used for drinking. Three major pathways for chemical contamination exposure in young children were confirmed: maternal transmission during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and early school years. Children exhibited acute and chronic disruptions to their neurological, skeletal, reproductive, and endocrine systems, as well as cumulative carcinogenic risks, amongst other life-altering consequences. The lack of research on emerging contaminants' effects on young children in low-income countries is worrisome, as their increased use may compound the issues caused by the existing problem of "legacy chemicals." Precautionary principle should regulate the operation of industries producing these chemicals in a robust manner. Evidence from major producers and exporters in high-income countries is sufficient to warrant action, even without waiting for direct harm to be observed in low-income countries. Literature recommends prioritising prevention of contamination over demand side treatment or finding alternative water sources, especially in water-scarce areas affected by climate change. Local and transnational efforts are required to enforce safer industry practices and prevent further water quality deterioration in low-income countries.
Topics: Child; Humans; Aged; Child, Preschool; Environmental Monitoring; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Groundwater; Public Health; Arsenic; Drinking Water
PubMed: 37271388
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164604 -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023Over the last two decades, a plethora of disease models and human studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen (H), a simple biotherapeutic gas.... (Review)
Review
Over the last two decades, a plethora of disease models and human studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen (H), a simple biotherapeutic gas. Recent small-scale studies evaluating the effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on various metabolic conditions pointed to advantageous effects of HRW in regulating blood lipid profiles. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, no systematic review and/or meta-analysis (SRMA) were published considering HRW consumption and lipid/lipoprotein status. Therefore, the aim of this SRMA was to assess the effects of HRW consumption on blood lipid panel in clinical populations. The search strategy was designed using PRISMA guidelines, and the databases PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus were explored from inception until 4 October 2022. A total of seven studies satisfied all the eligibility criteria and were included in SRMA. The results for the pooled meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides after HRW intake ( = 0.01), with small to moderate effects (pooled SMD = -0.23 (from -0.40 to 0.05); pooled SMD = -0.22 (from -0.39 to 0.04); pooled SMD = -0.38 (from -0.59 to 0.18), respectively). Our findings indicate that drinking HRW can significantly improve lipid status in the clinical populations. Additional studies are warranted to further validate this connection.
PubMed: 37259294
DOI: 10.3390/ph16020142 -
PloS One 2023Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation have adverse impacts on the mental health of individuals. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation have adverse impacts on the mental health of individuals.
OBJECTIVE
To review and synthesize evidence on the relationship between water insecurity, inadequate sanitation, and mental health globally.
DATA SOURCES
Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases from inception up to March 2023.
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Only quantitative studies were included. The exposure was water insecurity and or inadequate sanitation. The outcome was common mental disorders (CMD: depression or anxiety), mental distress, mental health or well-being. There was no restriction on geographical location.
PARTICIPANTS
General population or people attending health facilities or other services.
EXPOSURE
Water insecurity and/ or inadequate sanitation.
RISK OF BIAS
The effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) assessment tool was used to assess quality of selected studies.
SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS
A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects statistical model.
RESULTS
Twenty-five studies were included, with 23,103 participants from 16 countries in three continents: Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, and Lesotho), Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, India, and Iran) and the Americas (Brazil, Haiti, Bolivia and Vietnam). There was a statistically significant association between water insecurity and CMD symptoms. Nine studies reported a continuous outcome (5,248 participants): overall standardized mean difference (SMD = 1.38; 95% CI = 0.88, 1.87). Five studies reported a binary outcome (5,776 participants): odds ratio 5.03; 95% CI = 2.26, 11.18. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate sanitation and CMD symptoms (7415 participants), overall SMD = 5.36; 95% CI = 2.51, 8.20.
LIMITATIONS
Most of the included studies were cross-sectional which were unable to examine temporal relationships.
CONCLUSIONS
Water insecurity and inadequate sanitation contribute to poorer mental health globally.
IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS
Interventions to provide basic water, sanitation and psychosocial support, could substantially contribute to reducing the burden of CMD alongside other health and social benefits.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022322528.
Topics: Humans; Mental Health; Water Insecurity; Sanitation; Anxiety; Ethiopia
PubMed: 37228056
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286146