Opportunities and Challenges for Dietary Arsenic Intervention

The diet is emerging as the dominant source of arsenic exposure for most of the U.S. population. Despite this, limited regulatory efforts have been aimed at mitigating exposure, and the role of diet in arsenic exposure and disease processes remains understudied. In this brief, we discuss the evidence linking dietary arsenic intake to human disease and discuss challenges associated with exposure characterization and efforts to quantify risks. In light of these challenges, and in recognition of the potential longer-term process of establishing regulation, we introduce a framework for shorter-term interventions that employs a field-to-plate food supply chain model to identify monitoring, intervention, and communication opportunities as part of a multisector, multiagency, science-informed, public health systems approach to mitigation of dietary arsenic exposure. Such an approach is dependent on coordination across commodity producers, the food industry, nongovernmental organizations, health professionals, researchers, and the regulatory community.Dartmouth College Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [1R13ES026493-01, P42ES007373]; Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth from NIEHS of the NIH [P01ES022832]; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [RD-83544201]Open access journal.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]