Arsenic in Drinking Water Linked to Type 2 Diabetes

BALTIMORE, Aug. 19 -- Millions of Americans may be at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes because of arsenic in their drinking water, researchers here said. Data from nearly 800 participants in the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicated that urine levels of arsenic -- a measure of environmental exposure to the chemical -- were significantly associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, found Ana Navas-Acien, M.D., Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and colleagues. The researchers calculated an adjusted odds ratio of 3.58 (95% CI 1.18 to 10.83) for type 2 diabetes for participants in the top versus bottom quintile of urinary arsenic levels, they reported in the Aug. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The strength of the association was comparable to that of major well-known risk factors such as obesity, said Dr. Navas-Acien. Adjustments included major diabetes risk factors as well as markers of seafood intake. Seafood contains organic arsenic compounds that contribute to total urinary arsenic but are believed to be harmless. Only inorganic arsenic is considered a risk factor for diabetes, the researchers said. "Inorganic arsenic may have a role in diabetes development," they wrote. /.../