Association of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension with arsenic in drinking water: a case-control study in the CERHA region in north-central Mexico

Abstract Chronic endemic regional hydroarsenicism (CERHA) occurs worldwide, with millions of people exposed to arsenic (As) in drinking water. CERHA is present in north-central Mexico, where As typically exceeds the WHO guideline (10 µg L− 1) and Mexican limits (25 µg L− 1). Biochemical alterations related to the human As metabolism may increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and hypertension (AHT). We conducted a case-control study to address the role of As in drinking water as a risk factor for those metabolic diseases in exposed populations with low (Lerdo) and high (San Pedro) exposition and in people inhabiting CERHA and non-CERHA municipalities. In drinking water and human urine, arsenic was analyzed by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry—a significant correlation between As in drinking water and urine evidenced the As exposure in the population. Arsenic in drinking water (16.8 ± 9.2 vs. 39 ± 27.9 µg L− 1) and urine (6.20 ± 5.62 vs. 18.48 ± 21.56 µg L− 1) were lower in Lerdo than in San Pedro muncipality. Adjusted odds ratios evidenced higher (1.7–1.8) chances to be diagnosed with T2D and AHT in San Pedro than in Lerdo people. Also, a higher risk of obesity (1.3–1.4), T2D (1.5 to 3.3), and AHT (1.6 to 2.4) occurs in CERHA than in non-CERHA towns.