High Arsenic Levels in Water may Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes suggests Study

A recent research conducted as part of the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS) and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) unveiled a concerning association between arsenic levels in water and the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) within American Indian and diverse urban communities in the United States. The findings were published in the Diabetes Care journal.

This study examined data from a total of 1,791 participants in SHFS and 5,777 participants in MESA to assess the impact of arsenic exposure from both federally regulated community water systems (CWSs) and unregulated private wells on T2D incidence. The participants were free of T2D at the beginning of the study between 2000 and 2003 and were followed over several years until 2010 for SHFS and 2019 for MESA.

The findings revealed that the T2D incidence rates were significantly influenced by arsenic levels in water. In the SHFS cohort, there were 24.4 cases per 1,000 person-years, while in MESA, the rate was 11.2 per 1,000 person-years. The meta-analysis encompassed both cohorts and observed that, for every doubling in arsenic concentration in CWS, the hazard ratio for T2D incidence increased by 10%. Similar patterns were observed for arsenic from private wells, although the association was weaker.

These findings suggest that even low to moderate levels of arsenic in water (defined as being below 10 µg/L) were linked to an increased risk of developing T2D. The association between arsenic exposure and T2D incidence was noted to be more pronounced among certain demographic groups. The individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 25 kg/m² and female participants expressed larger magnitude hazard ratios that suggests a increased vulnerability to the effects of arsenic on diabetes risk.

These findings underline the importance of monitoring and regulating arsenic levels in water sources. Access to clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental human right and efforts to reduce arsenic contamination should be prioritized to safeguard public health. It becomes increasingly evident that environmental factors play an important role in shaping health outcomes. We can take significant steps towards preventing and managing chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes by identifying and addressing these risk factors.

Source:

Spaur, M., Galvez-Fernandez, M., Chen, Q., Lombard, M. A., Bostick, B. C., Factor-Litvak, P., Fretts, A. M., Shea, S. J., Navas-Acien, A., & Nigra, A. E. (2024). Association of Water Arsenic With Incident Diabetes in U.S. Adults: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Strong Heart Study. In Diabetes Care. American Diabetes Association. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-2231