Playing in the sand: good for your health?
A new study says you risk getting an upset stomach and diarrhea if you dig into the granular stuff to fill toy pails, build sand castles or bury yourself.
The study says you are safer walking along the shore or swimming in the surf.
The federal government paid $63,500 for the research. Has it discouraged beach-goers in California, asks the San Diego Union-Tribune?
“Take care to use a hand sanitizer or wash hands after playing in the sand,” said Tim Wade, an epidemiologist with the US Environmental Protection Agency who helped write the study.
Debbie Longley, chairwoman of a sand-castle contest in California, said she isn’t aware of participants being sickened by tainted sand during past competitions.
“Going to any beach presents some element of health hazards, but I think (the study) will be the last thing on people’s minds when they are out . . . at the sand-castle competition,” Longley said.
The study involved beach-goers who were asked about their contact with sand on the day of their visit. Ten to 12 days later, they were contacted by phone to discuss health problems that surfaced since then.
How serious a problem? Less than 10 percent of people who played with sand came down with diarrhea and/or gastrointestinal illness.
by David Wilkening
David
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