Raw Water Consumption Does Not Affect All-Cause or Cardiovascular Mortality: A Secondary Analysis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Previous research explored water quality and mortality, but data on water consumption volume and mortality risk is limited.
• Understanding the relationship between hydration levels and health outcomes is crucial for public health guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between daily raw water consumption and all-cause, ischemia-related, congestive heart failure-related, and stroke-related mortality.
• To analyze mortality risks across different levels of daily water intake in adults aged 45 and older.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) database and follow-up mortality data.
• Included 7666 participants over 45 years old, stratified by daily water intake (0 to ≥8 cups).
• Performed univariate and multivariate analyses, adjusting for confounding factors, with >6 to ≤8 cups as the reference group.

Main Results:

• Multivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in all-cause, ischemia-related, heart failure-related, or stroke-related mortality across water intake groups.
• A univariate finding of reduced all-cause mortality in the >2 to ≤4 cups group was not sustained in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:

• Daily raw water consumption does not appear to be a significant determinant of all-cause mortality.
• Hydration levels, as measured by water intake volume, do not seem to impact cause-specific cardiovascular mortality.