Soil Health as a Determinant to Health of People: Example of Soil Trace Elements Deficiencies in Kintampo Area of Ghana and Their Implications to Some Non-Communicable Diseases

BACKGROUND: Selenium is a trace metalloid that is a natural constituent of many foods, and also available as a dietary supplement. Although excessive intakes of dietary Selenium may be harmful, insufficient intake of dietary Selenium may contribute to thyroid failure, cretinism, cardiomyopathy, immune dysfunction, bone defects, inflammation, male infertility, and probably increased risk of certain human cancers. Health trends relative to Selenium exposure have a connection with the amount of Selenium in soils derived from the underlying rocks. AIMS: The study was aimed at determining Selenium geo availability in stream sediments in central Ghana and its implications on health. METHODS: In this study, a total of 43 stream sediment samples were collected along streams using geographic information system to predetermine co-ordinates in the Kintampo area of Ghana. Concentration of Se and pH were determined. Degree of contamination, pollution load and geo-accumulation indices were calculated. Information was gathered on the health indices from health centers of communities. RESULTS: Our findings showed that sandstones, shales, mudstones and phyllite rocks present have pH levels of 6.4 in the sediments formed over the parent rocks. Checks on the quality analysis indicated good assay repeatability among the duplicate pairs of sediment samples (p = 0.31). The geometric mean was 0.11 ppm for selenium. The analyzed results of all samples showed Se-deficiencies at over 80 % of the area (i.e. Se <0.2 mg/kg). CONCLUSION: The study found almost the entire area to be deficient in selenium. This deficiency is feared to hamper the antioxidant role of dietary supplementation of selenium for the population as they eat what they grow. The health indices data obtained from the health facilities in the study area confirmed the presence of Se-related–diseases. This thus makes healthy eating not effective mechanism of preventing element-related-diseases. KEYWORDS: Selenium; Soil Health; Non-Communicable Diseases