Improved nutrition, sanitation linked to beneficial changes in child stress and epigenetic programming.

A new study conducted in rural Bangladesh has found that an integrated intervention involving drinking water, sanitation, handwashing, and nutrition had positive effects on the stress physiology and epigenetic programming of children. The study, which was published in Nature Communications, showed that the interventions improved the functioning of the stress-response system, reduced oxidative stress in the body, and decreased methylation levels of DNA. The research, part of the "WASH Benefits Bangladesh" trial, is significant because it provides scientifically rigorous findings in a low-resource region, unlike many previous studies conducted in high-income countries. The study suggests that combining physical and psychosocial interventions could lead to even greater health benefits. [Extracted from the article]