Consumption of Bottled Water and Chronic Diseases: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Plastic pollution is a growing concern. It can form smaller particles called microplastics (<5 mm). Microplastics can break down into even smaller pieces called nanoplastics (<1 μm). These minute particles can infiltrate human cells and tissues, with their health impacts still largely undetermined. On average, a liter of bottled water includes about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the use of bottled plastic water (BW) and several health outcomes. Utilizing data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics’ “Aspects of Daily Life” survey (N = 45,597), we employed logistic regression to explore the correlation between BW consumption and the prevalence of various chronic diseases, including hypertension, gastric/duodenal ulcers, and kidney stones. Adjustments were made for covariates such as education, age, gender, and economic resources. Our analysis indicated a statistically significant association between BW consumption and increased risk of hypertension (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.11), diabetes (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.18), gastric/duodenal ulcers (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.07–1.38), and kidney stones (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.03–1.32). The consumption of BW is associated with heightened risk for certain health conditions. Policymakers and healthcare providers should consider implementing targeted prevention strategies and awareness campaigns.