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https://theconversation.com/without-clean-water-pacific-islanders-turn-to-sugary-drinks-tackling-this-could-reduce-obesity-244752>
"One in two people in the Pacific Islands is classified as overweight (with a
body mass index of 25–29) or obese (a BMI 30 or above). This is a problem
because obesity increases the risk of health conditions such as diabetes, heart
disease, strokes and some cancers.
While various factors contribute to obesity, limited access to clean drinking
water plays an overlooked role. Without a safe drinking water supply, many
households may turn to sugary drinks as an alternative. This type of
substitution increases the risk of obesity.
Our new research explored how water insecurity in the Pacific island nation of
Kiribati correlates with sugary drink consumption. We used survey data,
including more than 2,000 of households spread over 21 rural and urban islands,
to track locals’ water supply and their consumption of sugary drinks such as
soft drinks and juice.
Water insecurity is a big issue in Kiribati, with households relying mainly on
unprotected groundwater (40%) and rainwater (28%) for drinking.
We found households that relied on unprotected groundwater and rainwater drank
381–406 grams more sugary drinks per week than those with access to a piped
water system. For households with water insecurity, this brings their weekly
consumption to more than 1.7 litres."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
