Swim, But Don’t Sea Swim

Swimming in the Sea Increases the Risk of Certain Illnesses

​Swim to stay trim. Adults and kids alike love to plunge into the cool sea for a relaxing dip, especially during hot weathers. A new study has found that people who swim or indulge in water sports in the sea are at a higher risk of experiencing stomach bugs, ear aches and certain other illnesses compared to others. This study result would be a disappointment for water-sport lovers or those who wish to take a jolly ride to the sea and spend some time having fun with friends in the sea water swimming to their heart’s content.

The research was conducted on a large group of participants from different countries (high-income ones) and the study concluded that compared to non-sea swimmers, individuals who used the sea suffered from 77% increase in earaches and 29% increase in gastrointestinal illnesses.

Many high-income countries, such as UK, feel that there is not much of a risk involved in swimming/playing a sport in the sea. But this study proves such perceptions wrong as it explicitly shows that the chances of developing certain illnesses such as ear problems or digestive problems such as stomach ache and diarrhea are exceedingly higher. Researchers believe that pollution must be the major factor affecting those swimming in sea water along with other contributing factors such as industrial waste or sewage.

This study was not conducted with the intention of preventing people from entering the sea water for swimming or sports. There is no intention of scaring people and asking them to refrain from their physical activity, wellbeing and their happier ‘me’ times with nature. It is only that individuals must be aware of the risks involved and take an informed decision after analyzing the pros and cons.
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This research is also an alarm bell to all countries across the world to come up with effective strategies to clean up coastal waters and take the right measures to bring down pollution levels. Pollution levels are way beyond the recommended levels in most of the countries and this is a major cause of for several illnesses. To get a list of the all the illnesses that can be caused due to pollution exposure, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com.