Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Dehydration
Dehydration is the leading cause of diarrheal illness - associated
morbidity and mortality. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) with oral rehydration
salts (ORS) began as the use of oral rehydration salt packets dissolved in water
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on the basic premise that fluid replacement can be achieved by providing patients
with diarrheal illness an oral supplement comprised of sugar, salt, and water.
More recently, the term
ORT
has expanded to include the use of ORS, as well as
recommend home fluids which are composed of NaC and a source of carbohydrate
ranging from rice water to cereal-based solutions and traditional soups.
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Newer
formulations of oral rehydration salts under development will also help to promote
intestinal healing. In order to be most effective, oral rehydration salts must be
used early in the course of illness and maintained or replaced by early resumption
of feeding.
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Important to note is that the use of ORT does not prevent recurrence of the
diarrheal disease, and affected children may require ORT many times during their
first five years. The causes must be removed. Safe drinking water, environmental
sanitation, and hygiene are essential to provide long-term protection against the
causes of diarrheal diseases. Safe drinking water will also promote sanitary food
preparation, personal hygiene and household cleanliness, improved housing, a
better quality of life, and more.
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Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is defined as a decrease in bone mass and bone
density and an increased risk or incidence of fracture. In osteoporosis, bone
is decalcified and becomes porous and brittle, particularly in women after
menopause. Because estrogen has an important role in the maintenance of
structure and calcification of bone, the drop in estrogen at menopause is, in part,
responsible for osteoporosis, although lifestyle, nutritional, and environmental
factors have also been found to play a role in the development of osteoporosis.
Maintenance of an adequate level of calcium and vitamin D may help to offset
the disease and fluorides in proper amounts in drinking water and food also
appear to help prevent osteoporosis. Major dietary sources of calcium include
milk, cheese, and other dairy products, and dark green leafy vegetables. The use
of hormone replacement therapies to offset the decrease in estrogen has been
used with some success, but because of the increased risk of certain cancers
and heart disease, the use of hormone replacement therapy is generally not
recommended.
Obesity
Overweight
is classified as having a body mass index (BMI is weight
kg/height m
2
)of
30.0, and
extreme
(class III)
obesity
is defined as having a BMI
≥
40.0 kg/m
2
. Obesity is associated
with increased risk for hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart
disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
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The prevalence of obesity has increased
dramatically in the United States in the past decades. In 1999-2002, 65 percent
of adults surveyed in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES) were either overweight or obese, a 5 percent increase over the previ-
ous survey (NHANES III, 1988 - 1994). Of these, half (30% of total) were obese.
In the 2003 - 2004 NHANES, the prevalence of obesity was 32.2 percent.
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≥
25.0,
obesity
is defined as having a BMI
≥
