One of two People within the Pacific Islands are classified as chubby (with a body mass index of 25-29) or obese (BMI of 30 or above). This is an issue because obesity Increases risk Health conditions akin to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and a few cancers.
Although various aspects contribute to obesity, limited access to wash drinking water plays a task. Neglected character. Without access to wash drinking water, many households may turn to sugary drinks in its place. This form of substitution increases the chance of obesity.
Our new research explored how water insecurity is related to sugary beverage consumption within the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. We used survey data, covering greater than 2,000 households spread over 21 rural and concrete islands, to trace local people's water supply and their consumption of sugary beverages akin to soft drinks and juices. can go
Water insecurity is a serious problem in Kiribati, where households rely mainly on unsafe groundwater (40%) and rainwater (28%) for drinking.
We found households that relied on unprotected groundwater and rainwater consumed 381–406 g more sugary drinks per week than households with access to piped water systems. For water insecure households, this increases their weekly consumption to over 1.7 litres.
Dietary drivers of obesity
Located in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, the Republic of Kiribati consists of 33 low-lying islands (with a median elevation of three meters above sea level) and a population of 133,000
The Kiribati archipelago spans an unlimited maritime area, neighboring other Pacific countries akin to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu. This makes our findings relatively generalizable to other landlocked countries and small island developing states in Micronesia.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CC BY
Households within the Pacific Islands are already experiencing dietary changes on account of globalization and urbanization. The traditional weight loss plan of fresh fish, root vegetables and native fruits has been partially replaced by processed foods and sugary drinks. They are high in calories and low in nutrients.
These dietary changes, combined with water insecurity, create an environment that exacerbates health challenges and contributes to obesity.
What could be done about it?
only A third of the population Kiribati has access to a protected piped water system for drinking.
The remainder of the population uses unprotected groundwater and rainwater. But they can not afford expensive tank kits, filters and treatment systems to remove harmful contaminants from the water, akin to animal waste and chemicals. Local individuals are aware of those risks and hence search for other options.
Improving access to protected drinking water is usually a cost-effective public policy that reduces consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and addresses the broader public health challenge of obesity.
To achieve this goal, several interventions are needed, akin to:
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Ensuring households depending on rainwater harvesting access to tank kits, filters and treatment systems to remove harmful pollutants
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Developing seawater desalination plants that depend on clean energy sources. This will improve access to wash, piped water, however it comes at a big cost.
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Taxing sugary drinks to scale back consumption. i MexicoA ten% increase in the worth of sugary drinks led to an 11.6% decrease of their consumption.
Meloff/Shutterstock
Climate change will further compound the issue.
Water insecurity in small island developing countries akin to Kiribati is exacerbated. Climate change. Rising sea levels are contaminating freshwater sources with salt, while more frequent and severe droughts are putting pressure on already limited resources.
These climate-related pressures are making it increasingly difficult for communities to access clean drinking water, increasing dependence on sugary drinks.
This trend is comparable in countries characterised by high levels of imports and intake of sugary drinks akin to New Zealand, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Palau, but in addition for distant indigenous populations in Australia which have Took Access to clean drinking water is not guaranteed. And the consumption of sugary drinks. high.
Addressing water insecurity and obesity offers a possibility to develop sustainable solutions and construct resilience against a few of the negative public health impacts of climate change.