Swimming in British seas raises people’s risk of illness by more than 70 per cent, new research suggests.
Bathing or taking part in water sports raises swimmers’ risk of developing earache by 77 per cent, according to the first study of its kind.
Spending time in local coastal waters also increases people’s likelihood of developing gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, by 29 per cent, the research adds.
Previous research found British seawater can contain bacteria such as E.coli, which can lead to life-threatening diarrhoea, and enterococcus, which is associated with wound infections.
Study author Dr Anne Leonard from the University of Exeter, said: ‘In high-income countries like the UK, there is a perception that there is little risk to health of spending time in the sea.
‘However, our paper shows that spending time in the sea does increase the probability of developing illnesses, such as ear ailments and problems involving the digestive system, such as stomach ache and diarrhoea.’
Although most people will recover from such illnesses, the researchers warn they can be serious in the elderly or very young.
Swimming in British seas raises people’s risk of illness by more than 70 per cent (stock)
‘Pollution affects swimmers in some of the world’s richest countries’
Speaking of the findings, Dr Leonard added: ‘We think that this indicates that pollution is still an issue affecting swimmers in some of the world’s richest countries.’
Study author Dr Will Gaze, stressed people should not be put off sea swimming but rather be aware of the risks, saying: ‘We don’t want to deter people from going into the sea, which has many health benefits such as improving physical fitness, wellbeing and connecting with nature.
‘However, it is important that people are aware of the risks so they can make informed decisions.
‘Although most people will recover from infections with no medical treatment, they can prove more serious for vulnerable people, such as the very old or very young, or those with pre-existing health conditions.
‘We have come a long way in terms of cleaning up our waters, but our evidence shows there is still work to be done. We hope this research will contribute to further efforts to clean up our coastal waters.’
How the research was carried out
The researchers analysed 40 studies investigating the link between swimming in the sea and developing illnesses, such as skin, eye or ear infections.
Of the 40 investigations, 19 were conducted in the US, eight in the UK, four in Australia, two in New Zealand, two in Spain and one each in Denmark, Greece, Mexico, Norway and Turkey.
In total, the studies included more than 120,000 participants.
The findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.