Bad news if you’re a beachgoer: that sand may not be as safe as you think.
A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (conducted in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency) took a look at the bacteria content of beach sand… and how it can affect your family.
Researchers spoke with close to thirty thousand families about their beach visits between 2003 and 2007. Participants were asked about contact with the sand (for themselves and their children) and were asked about health issues during a follow-up interview about ten days later. Approximately six percent of study participants developed mild diarrhea after a beach visit where kids played in the sand. Kids who dug or were buried in the sand had a higher risk of developing diarrhea than those who didn’t.
Soil samples from this and other studies have found high levels of bacteria like E. coli in the top eight inches of beach sand. In some areas, the level of bacteria in the sand was higher than that of the water! The bacteria may come from storm runoff or animal feces, but once in the sand it can multiply and thrive.
So how do you protect your family? Keep those hands clean. You don’t have to avoid the sand — or digging, or burrowing, or sand castles, or any sand-related activities — as long as you clean your hands before touching your mouth. Bring wipes or hand sanitizer to the beach and make sure the family cleans up before eating lunch! Keep young kids from tasting samples of sand pies and cakes, because ingesting dirty sand (or dirty water) is a sure way to end up sick.
The good news is that even if you or your child does get sick after playing in the sand, it’s likely to be mild. Of the more than twenty seven thousand families in the study, none required a doctor’s care. The resulting gastrointestinal distress was mild… but even a mild case of diarrhea can really be a downer for your summer vacation!
Remember that germs are everywhere. They’re in the sand and the water when you go to the beach — so don’t assume that rinsing your hands in the ocean is going to clean them off. Head for the nearest bathroom and use soap and water to wash your hands, or keep hand sanitizer in your beach gear.