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PubMed2003

Consumption of bakery products, sweetened soft drinks and yogurt among children aged 6-7 years: association with nutrient intake and overall diet quality.

The present study tests the hypothesis that higher consumption of bakery products, sweetened soft drinks and yogurt is associated with higher intake of energy, saturated fats, sugars and worse overall diet quality among Spanish children. This is a cross-sectional study covering 1112 children aged 6.0-7.0 years in four Spanish cities. Nutrient and food intake were obtained through a food-frequency questionnaire, and overall diet quality calculated using the healthy-eating index (HEI) developed by Kennedy et al. (1995). Standardized methods were used to measure anthropometric variables. Associations of interest were summarized as the difference in nutrient and food consumption between the value of the fifth and the first quintile of consumption (dq) of bakery products, sweetened soft drinks or yogurt, adjusted for energy intake and BMI. Bakery products, sweetened soft drinks and yogurt supplied 15.5, 1.0 and 5.6 % energy intake respectively. Higher consumption of these three foods was associated with greater energy intake (P<0.001), but not with higher BMI. Consumption of bakery products was associated with the proportion of energy derived from intake of total carbohydrates (dq 4.5 %, P<0.001) and sugars (dq 2 %, P<0.001), but did not show association with the HEI. Consumption of sweetened soft drinks was associated with a lower consumption of milk (dq -88 ml, P<0.001) and Ca (dq -175 mg/d, P<0.001), and worse HEI (dq -2, P<0.01). Consumption of yogurt, while associated with higher energy intake from saturated fats (dq 1.77 %, P<0.001) and sugars (dq 2.02 %, P<0.001), showed no association with the HEI. Differences in the intake of nutrients and foods across quintiles of consumption of bakery products, sweetened soft drinks and yogurt were usually very small. We conclude that the impact of the consumption of bakery products, sweetened soft drinks and yogurt on the quality of the diet of Spanish children is only modest, although it may contribute to aggravating certain unhealthy characteristics of their diet, particularly excess energy, saturated fats and sugars. Therefore, consumption of bakery products and sweetened soft drinks should be moderated, and priority given to consumption of low-fat, low-sugar yogurt.

Beverages↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of unsafe drinking between a rural and metropolitan area.

Factors associated with unsafe drinking in a rural area were identified and the prevalence of unsafe drinking and alcohol related mortality compared with a metropolitan area. Alcohol consumption data were collected from a random sample of adults in Greater Ballarat. Odds ratios of demographic factors associated with unsafe drinking were estimated by logistic regression. Compared with males and 20-29-year-olds, females and 30-59-year-olds had a significantly lower prevalence of 'intermediate' or higher risk drinking and binge-only drinking. Rural-metropolitan ratios for the prevalence of unsafe drinking and alcohol related mortality were also greatest in young adults. Young adults must adopt safer drinking habits if the rural excess in mortality is to be reduced.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Tea drinking and bone mineral density in older women.

BACKGROUND: High caffeine intake is reportedly a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in women. Most studies, however, are from populations in which coffee drinking predominates and is the major caffeine source. Tea contains caffeine but also has other nutrients, such as flavonoids, that may influence bone mass in different ways. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between tea drinking and BMD in older women in Britain, where tea drinking is common. METHODS: We measured BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, greater trochanter, and Ward's triangle in 1256 free-living women aged 65-76 y in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Tea drinking was assessed by self-completed questionnaire and women were categorized as tea drinkers or non-tea drinkers. RESULTS: There were 1134 tea drinkers (90.3%) and 122 non-tea drinkers (9.7%). Compared with non-tea drinkers, tea drinkers had significantly greater ( approximately 5%) mean BMD measurements, adjusted for age and body mass index, at the lumbar spine (0.033 g/cm(2); P = 0.03), greater trochanter (0.028 g/cm(2); P = 0.004), and Ward's triangle (0.025 g/cm(2); P = 0.02). Differences at the femoral neck (0.013 g/cm(2)) were not significant. These findings were independent of smoking status, use of hormone replacement therapy, coffee drinking, and whether milk was added to tea. CONCLUSIONS: Older women who drank tea had higher BMD measurements than did those who did not drink tea. Nutrients found in tea, such as flavonoids, may influence BMD. Tea drinking may protect against osteoporosis in older women.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Do lipids contribute to the lack of cardio-protective effect of binge drinking: alcohol consumption and lipids in three eastern European countries.

AIMS: The cardio-protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption is partly mediated by HDL cholesterol. However, epidemiological studies suggest that binge drinking may not be associated with reduced risk of heart disease; a possible explanation is that the relationship of blood lipids with binge drinking is different from that with moderate intake. We investigated this hypothesis in a population study in three eastern European countries. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in random population samples in Novosibirsk (Russia), Krakow (Poland) and Karvina (Czech Republic). A sub-sample of 282 men aged 45-64 years who provided a fasting blood sample were analysed. Annual alcohol intake and the frequency of heavy binge drinking (> or =140 g of ethanol per session) were estimated from a graduated frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Annual intake of alcohol was positively associated with total and HDL cholesterol. After controlling for annual intake, the frequency of heavy binge drinking was associated with increased concentrations of total and HDL cholesterol. By combining annual intake and drinking pattern, we found that men consuming >8 l of alcohol per year who had a heavy binge at least once a month had the mean total, HDL and LDL cholesterol 1.69 (SE 0.35), 0.61 (0.11) and 0.97 (0.34) mmol/l, respectively, higher than non-drinkers; this resulted in more favourable ratios of total and LDL cholesterol relative to HDL cholesterol in frequent heavy bingers. Triglycerides were not related to alcohol intake or binge drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Blood lipids do not seem to explain the apparent lack of the cardio-protective effect of binge drinking reported in epidemiological studies.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed2006

Telephone screening for hazardous drinking among injured patients seen in acute care clinics: feasibility study.

AIMS: We evaluated the effectiveness of telephoning injured patients after discharge, compared with contacting them in the clinic during the acute care visit, for screening for hazardous drinking and eliciting willingness to participate in a lifestyle intervention trial. METHODS: We conducted a quasi-randomized controlled trial among acutely injured adult patients in trauma and acute care clinics, assigning telephone and clinic screening strategies systematically by week. During telephone weeks, we mailed study information to patients identified from computerized records, then telephoned them. During clinic weeks, researchers recruited patients awaiting care. We screened for hazardous drinking using the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C). We examined the proportion of all injured adult patients who were screened, the proportion of screened patients with hazardous drinking (AUDIT-C score >or=4), and the proportion willing to participate in a (hypothetical) lifestyle intervention trial. Differences were analysed with non-linear mixed models using generalized estimating equations, controlling for age, sex, and facility. Levers and barriers to screening were explored through structured interviews with research staff. RESULTS: We enrolled 29% (469/1,609) of all injured adult patients and 76% of injured patients contacted and found to be eligible. Of screened patients, 23.1% screened positive for hazardous drinking. Telephone and clinic contact were equally effective for screening patients (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 0.59-1.87), identifying hazardous drinking (OR=0.97; 95% CI = 0.54-1.74), and eliciting willingness to participate in an intervention trial (OR=1.49; 95% CI = 0.97-2.30). Clinic site modified results: telephone was more effective than clinic contact for screening urban patients (OR=1.99; 95% CI = 1.36-2.93), but less effective for screening suburban patients (OR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.69-0.71). Barriers to clinic screening included lack of clinic staff support, time constraints, and difficulty recruiting elderly or acutely distressed patients. Barriers to telephone screening included erroneous contact information and failure to answer the telephone. CONCLUSIONS: Telephone screening is a feasible and efficient method for screening moderately injured adult patients for hazardous drinking, but characteristics of the clinical site (including personnel) influence its effectiveness. Trauma and acute care clinics are likely to be fruitful sites for identification of patients with hazardous drinking, whether for enrollment into brief intervention trials or treatment programmes.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Predicting binge-drinking behaviour using an extended TPB: examining the impact of anticipated regret and descriptive norms.

AIMS: To investigate the utility of an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), including descriptive norms and anticipated regret, in predicting binge-drinking intentions and behaviour. METHODS: A total of 178 undergraduates completed a questionnaire containing measures of TPB variables, descriptive norms, anticipated regret, and previous binge-drinking behaviour. One week later, 104 students completed a measure of binge-drinking behaviour. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression demonstrated that attitudes (beta = 0.30, P < 0.001) and anticipated regret (beta = 0.47, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of intentions, with the final equation accounting for 58% of the variance. Hierarchial regression found that intentions (beta = -0.21, P < 0.05) and previous binge-drinking behaviour (beta = 0.36, P < 0.01) predicted current drinking behaviour, accounting for 33% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that modifying attitudes and inducing regret may be effective strategies for reducing binge-drinking intentions among undergraduates, which should reduce subsequent binge-drinking behaviour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Solid-phase microextraction of organophosphate pesticides in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities.

The rapid detection of contaminants in our nation's drinking water has become a top homeland security priority in this time of increased national vigilance. Real-time monitoring of drinking water for deliberate or accidental contamination is key to national security. One method that can be employed for the rapid screening of pollutants in water is solid-phase microextraction (SPME). SPME is a rapid, sensitive, solvent-free system that can be used to screen for contaminants that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced into a water system. A method using SPME has been developed and optimized for the detection of seven organophosphate pesticides in drinking water treatment facility source waters. The method is tested in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities in Mississippi and Alabama. Water is collected from a deepwater well at Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS, the drinking water source for SSC, and from the Converse Reservoir, the main drinking water supply for Mobile, AL. Also tested are samples of water collected from the Mobile Alabama Water and Sewer System drinking water treatment plant prior to chlorination. The method limits of detection for the seven organophosphates were comparable to those described in several Environmental Protection Agency standard methods. They range from 0.25 to 0.94 microg/L.

Organophosphorus Compounds↗
PubMed1997

Carcinogenicity of the drinking water mutagen 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone in the rat.

BACKGROUND: Several epidemiologic studies have suggested that the consumption of chlorinated drinking water may be associated with the development of certain cancers in humans. 3-Chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX), a byproduct of the chemical reactions that occur in chlorinated drinking water, has been found to be mutagenic in bacteria and mammalian cells; however, its potential to cause tumors in animals has not been tested previously. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the carcinogenicity of MX in rats given MX in their drinking water. METHODS: MX was administered to male and female Wistar rats (50 rats per dose group) in drinking water for 104 weeks at concentrations yielding the average daily doses of MX of 0.4 mg/kg of animal weight (low dose), 1.3 mg/kg (mid dose), and 5.0 mg/kg (high dose) for males and 0.6 mg/kg, 1.9 mg/kg, and 6.6 mg/kg for females, respectively. Control rats received water from the same source used for preparation of the MX dose formulations (after its adjustment to the same pH range). Body weight, clinical signs, and food and water consumption were recorded regularly. At the end of the treatment period, the animals were killed and full histopathologic analysis was performed on 47 tissues and all lesions. RESULTS: Dose-dependent increases in tumor incidence were observed in rats given MX-containing drinking water; the same MX doses had no obvious toxic effects on animals. MX consumption increased most drastically the prevalence of follicular adenoma (up to 43% and 72% in high-dose males and females, a test [one-sided] for positive trend in all dose groups P = .0045 and P = .0000, respectively) and carcinoma (55% [P = .0000] and 44% [P = .0000], respectively) in thyroid glands and cholangioma in the liver (8% [P = .0009] and 66% [P = .0000] in the high-dose males and females, respectively). Among rats given the higher doses of MX in their drinking water, cortical adenomas of the adrenal glands were increased in both sexes, alveolar and bronchiolar adenomas of the lungs and Langerhans' cell adenomas of the pancreas were increased in males, and lymphomas, leukemias, and adenocarcinomas and fibroadenomas of the mammary glands were increased in females. Even the lowest MX dose studied was carcinogenic. CONCLUSION: MX is a potent carcinogen in both male and female rats, and it causes tumors at doses that are not overtly toxic to rats. IMPLICATIONS: Although these findings cannot be extrapolated to humans, MX should be studied as a candidate risk factor in the possible association between consumption of chlorinated drinking water and cancer in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The influence of drinking water containing sodium chloride on performance and eggshell quality of a modern, colored layer strain.

Hubbard ISA IsaBrown pullets were purchased from a commercial supplier at 16 wk of age and kept at a constant 18 C or a constant 30 C in temperature-controlled rooms. The purpose of our experiment was to determine the effect of ambient temperature on the eggshell quality responses of laying hens receiving saline drinking water with or without simultaneous supplementation of the diet with ascorbic acid or Zn methionine. Four treatments were investigated: 1) a basal layer diet (C) and local drinking water, 2) diet C and local drinking water containing 2 g NaCl/L, 3) diet C containing 200 mg ascorbic acid/kg and local drinking water containing 2 g NaCl/L, and 4) diet C with 360 mg Zinpro 100 (Zn methionine)/kg and local drinking water containing 2 g NaCl/L. The local drinking water contained <1 mmol Cl/ L. The pullets received a continuous daily photoperiod of 16 h from fluorescent lighting, and production measures were made between 20 and 60 wk of age. Production and eggshell quality were significantly reduced at 30 C compared with 18 C but were not significantly affected by the dietary and water treatments. The results indicated that the IsaBrown hens were relatively insensitive to intakes of NaCl from the drinking water at concentrations of 2 g/L. This lack of sensitivity in eggshell quality contrasts with the majority of published reports, including earlier work with local Australian layer strains. It is suggested that this contrasting sensitivity may relate to the concentration of dietary NaCl used during the selection of layer genotypes.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1992

Effects of d-amphetamine and of diazepam on non-punished and punished schedule-induced drinking in rats.

Drinking induced in food-deprived rats by a Fixed-Time 1min schedule of food presentation was measured by the amount of water consumed per session and the number of licks per inter-food interval. Subsequently each lick initiated a 10-sec signalled delay in the delivery of food, which led to a decrease in drinking (punishment). With three rats the effects of d-amphetamine (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0mg/kg) were assessed on non-punished and then on punished drinking. With another three rats, the effects of diazepam (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0mg/kg) were assessed. The smaller doses of d-amphetamine had no consistent effect on overall measures of non-punished schedule-induced drinking, but the largest dose decreased them. With the signalled delay d-amphetamine increased punished schedule-induced drinking. Non-punished drinking was increased by small doses of diazepam and decreased by the largest dose, but no dose of diazepam affected punished drinking.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Fluid for thought: availability of drinks in primary and secondary schools in Cardiff, UK.

OBJECTIVE: While adequate hydration is undoubtedly essential for health, well-being, performance and learning, it is important to recognize that drinks may also have significant detrimental effects on both general and dental health. Since, on weekdays, at least half of a child's recommended daily fluid intake must be imbibed at school, this study sought to examine the provision of drinks in that setting. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A self-administered postal questionnaire study was sent to the head teachers of all 107 state primary and all 20 state secondary schools in Cardiff, South Wales, UK. RESULTS: A response rate of 81.9% was achieved. Children had access to fresh drinking water from at least one drinking fountain in 69 (66.4%) of the 104 schools who responded to the questionnaire. Milk was available in 69 (80.2%) of the 86 responding primary schools. Sixteen (88.9%) of the 18 responding secondary schools had drink vending machines selling a variety of drinks. CONCLUSIONS: While primary schools appear largely to restrict the availability of drinks to those conducive to the maintenance of good general and dental health, secondary schools appear to foster the use of vending machines. Guidelines should be developed on the use and content of vending machines in schools in order to both meet school objectives and promote healthy choices.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Helicobacter pylori infection, gastritis, and the temperature of choice for hot drinks.

BACKGROUND: The role of the temperature of the diet as a potential etiological factor for gastritis or peptic ulcer disease has been postulated since the beginning of the century. Animal studies have demonstrated damage to gastric mucosa caused by hot water at 60 to 80 degrees C. In the pre-Helicobacter pylori era it was reported that the majority of ulcer patients preferred hot drinks. It also was reported that the temperature of choice for drinks increased with severity of histological grade of gastritis. We evaluated the association between the preferred temperature of hot drinks and the presence of H. pylori infection. METHODS: We tested the temperature of choice for hot drinking liquids among 12 H. pylori-negative and 43 H. pylori-positive volunteers. We also compared the effect of H. pylori therapy on hot drink temperature preference and, in 32 individuals, whether there was a relation between temperature and the degree of gastric atrophy. RESULTS: There was no difference in the preferred temperature for hot drinks between those volunteers with and without H. pylori infection (63.4 degrees +/- 6 degrees C compared to 61.3 degrees +/- 7 degrees C, respectively) (mean +/- 1 SD, p = .3). There was no change in preferred temperature after successful therapy of the H. pylori infection compared to unsuccessful H. pylori therapy, nor was there a correlation between the preferred temperature and the presence, absence, or degree of gastric atrophy (r2 < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The temperature of preference for hot drinks was not influenced by H. pylori infection or by the presence of atrophic gastritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin as an indicator of drinking status during a treatment outcome study.

Biological markers of alcohol consumption have been used in both clinical and research settings to aid in the identification of relapse drinking. Although carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been shown to be a sensitive and specific marker for the identification of heavy drinkers, little data are available as to its utility as a marker for relapse drinking during treatment, particularly in comparison with the more widely used serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). CDT and GGT were measured in 35 male alcoholics before entering, and every 4 weeks during, a 12-week outpatient treatment trial combining pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. CDT and GGT were again measured 14 weeks after completion of treatment. During the 12-week treatment period, CDT showed a significant difference in those individuals who abstained from drinking (30% decrease), compared with those who relapsed (10% increase). GGT decreased on average in all individuals, and the change from treatment entry did not differ significantly across the drinking outcome groups. The change in CDT, but not GGT, from study entry to termination, significantly correlated with total alcohol consumption during the trial. At the 14-week posttreatment, follow-up evaluation CDT showed about a 60% elevation and GGT showed a 30% elevation, on average, from study entry values in those individuals who had relapse drinking by self and/or collateral report. The change in both markers differed between those individuals who remained abstinent or relapsed during the poststudy period. In general, the change in CDT from pretreatment levels seemed more sensitive to drinking status during treatment and follow-up than GGT. This indicates that CDT may be more sensitive marker for evaluating drinking status during both clinical and research treatment trials.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Sports drinks hazard to teeth.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the dental hazards associated with sports supplement drinks by investigating the chemicophysical properties of eight brands of sports drinks. METHODS: The pH and titratable acidity against 0.1 M NaOH was measured. Calcium, phosphate, and fluoride concentrations and viscosities of Carbolode, Gatorade, High Five, Isostar, Lucozade Sport Lemon, Lucozade Sport Orange, Maxim, and PSP22 were determined. RESULTS: The pH values of the drinks ranged from 4.46 (Maxim) to 2.38 (Isostar) and therefore were below the critical pH value (5.5) for enamel demineralisation. Both Lucozade varieties had high titratable acidities (16.30 ml 0.1M NaOH to neutrality) with Gatorade, High Five, and Isostar displaying intermediate titratable acidity, although Isostar had 74.5 ppm calcium and 63.6 ppm phosphate. The fluoride concentration of all drinks was low, and none of the drinks was particularly viscous (range 3.1-1.4 mPa.s). CONCLUSIONS: The chemicophysical analyses indicate that all the sports drinks in this study have erosive potential. However, drinks with higher pH, lower titratable acidity, and higher concentrations of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride will reduce this erosive potential.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of erosion of dental enamel by four drinks using an intra-oral applicance.

There are several causes of erosion - acidic foods and drinks have been implicated and reducing their erosive potential would seem an important area of research. Calcium-citrate-malate (CCM) appeared to have potentially useful properties as an anti-erosion additive. The study aims were to test the ability of an intra-oral enamel slab system to measure erosion and to compare the erosive potential of a citric acid-based orange juice drink either with or without added CCM and a positive and negative control. Eleven adults wore an upper removable appliance for four periods each of 6 days. Each appliance held two enamel slabs which were inserted into the test drinks for 15 min 4 times a day for 6 days. Loss of enamel was quantified by profiling casts of the enamel slabs taken before and after the test period. Loss of enamal was greatest during exposure to a diet phosphoric acid-based cola drink (p < 0.001) but was similar during exposure to the two citric acid-based orange drinks, with or without CCM, and distilled water. The loss of surface enamel measured from a scanning electron micrograph agreed well with the measurement obtained by profilometry. It can be concluded that (a) the intra-oral enamel slab system was able to discriminate between drinks in their erosive potential, and (b) it was not possible to determine if CCM had any potential for reduction in erosion in an acid beverage as the level of erosion observed for both the critic acid-based orange drinks was not statistically significantly different from that observed with distilled water.

Acids↗
PubMed1995

Effect of addition of 0.103% citrate to a blackcurrant drink on plaque pH in vivo.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the addition of a small amount of citrate to infant fruit drinks resulted in a similar beneficial effect to that reported recently with 10% sucrose solution. A popular blackcurrant drink was tested with and without added 0.103% citrate by measuring its ability to depress plaque pH in 20 adult subjects using the plaque-harvesting technique. Solutions of 10% sucrose and 10% sorbitol were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The results showed that the blackcurrant drink with added citrate had a significantly weaker plaque pH response as compared with the blackcurrant drink without added citrate and 10% sucrose (positive control). The mean areas enclosed by the pH curve below pH 6.0 (+/- SD) were 10% sorbitol (negative control) 0.00, blackcurrant with 0.103% citrate 1.85 +/- 1.07, plain blackcurrant 4.65 +/- 2.11, and 10% sucrose 6.25 +/- 2.35. The acidogenic potential of the blackcurrant drink with added citrate was less than half as compared with the plain blackcurrant drink. It was concluded that the addition of relatively low levels of citrate to a blackcurrant drink reduces the acidogenic response in plaque.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Three-dimensional kinematic motion analysis of a daily activity drinking from a glass: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Development of reliable and objective evaluation methods is required, particularly for natural and goal-oriented upper-extremity tasks. Three-dimensional imaging measurement techniques have turned out to be a powerful tool for a quantitative and qualitative assessment of multijoint movements. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a method of three-dimensional motion analysis for the activity "drinking from a glass" and describe the drinking task with kinematic variables in control subjects. METHODS: A protocol was developed for the drinking activity including the set-up of cameras and positions of the markers and the subject. The drinking task included reaching, forward transport with glass, drinking, back transport and returning the hand to the initial position. An optoelectronic system was used for the three-dimensional kinematic motion capture. Movement times, velocities, joint angles and interjoint coordination for shoulder and elbow were computed and analyzed for twenty control subjects. Test-retest consistency was evaluated for six subjects. RESULTS: The test protocol showed good consistency in test-retest. Phase definitions for the drinking task were defined and verified. Descriptive kinematic variables were obtained for movement times, positions, velocities and joint angles for shoulder and elbow joint. Interjoint coordination between shoulder and elbow joint in reaching phase showed a high correlation. CONCLUSION: This study provides a detailed description of the three-dimensional kinematic analysis of the drinking task. Our approach to investigate and analyze a goal-oriented daily activity has a great clinical potential. Consequently, the next step is to use and test this protocol on persons with impairments and disabilities from upper extremities.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Renal effects of uranium in drinking water.

Animal studies and small studies in humans have shown that uranium is nephrotoxic. However, more information about its renal effects in humans following chronic exposure through drinking water is required. We measured uranium concentrations in drinking water and urine in 325 persons who had used drilled wells for drinking water. We measured urine and serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate, glucose, albumin, creatinine, and beta-2-microglobulin to evaluate possible renal effects. The median uranium concentration in drinking water was 28 microg/L (interquartile range 6-135, max. 1,920 microg/L) and in urine 13 ng/mmol creatinine (2-75), resulting in the median daily uranium intake of 39 microg (7-224). Uranium concentration in urine was statistically significantly associated with increased fractional excretion of calcium and phosphate. Increase of uranium in urine by 1 microg/mmol creatinine increased fractional excretion of calcium by 1.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6-2.3], phosphate by 13% (1.4-25), and glucose excretion by 0.7 micromol/min (-0.4-1.8). Uranium concentrations in drinking water and daily intake of uranium were statistically significantly associated with calcium fractional excretion, but not with phosphate or glucose excretion. Uranium exposure was not associated with creatinine clearance or urinary albumin, which reflect glomerular function. In conclusion, uranium exposure is weakly associated with altered proximal tubulus function without a clear threshold, which suggests that even low uranium concentrations in drinking water can cause nephrotoxic effects. Despite chronic intake of water with high uranium concentration, we observed no effect on glomerular function. The clinical and public health relevance of the findings are not easily established, but our results suggest that the safe concentration of uranium in drinking water may be within the range of the proposed guideline values of 2-30 microg/L.

Adolescent↗