Every year, World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and encourage action to solve it. The goal set by the United Nation is to achieve safe toilets for all by 2023, as a part of their Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN also states that 3.5 billion people live without proper sanitation and many children also lose their lives due to poor sanitation and unsafe water. This is why World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness on this issue.

Theme

This year, the theme for World Toilet Day 2024 is "Toilets - A Place for Peace'. This focuses on the growing threat to sanitation that is caused by conflict, climate change, disaster and neglect. When there is a threat to using toilets, it can lead to many health risks.

Not using toilets for too long may lead to Urinary Tract Infection or UTI. For many who do not have access to clean toilets do not drink enough liquid or hold pee for too long. Doctors suggest that holding in pee for too long can cause bacteria to multiply and lead to UTI. By not drinking enough water, your bladder fails to tell the body to pee often, and can cause the bacteria to spread through the urinary tract, which can lead to infection.

Symptoms of UTI:

• Burning or stinging feeling while urinating
• Pain in pelvis or lower abdomen
• Constant urge to empty the bladder
• Strong or foul smelling urine
• Consistently dark urine
• Blood in urine

Holding in pee for too long can also cause your bladder to stretch, making it difficult or even impossible for the bladder to contract and release pee normally. It can also damage your pelvic floor muscles or could lead to kidney stones.

World Toilet Day History And Significance

To prevent such conditions, it is important that everyone has access to clean and safe toilets. In terms of history, the day was established in 2001, by the World Toilet Organization (WTO), which was founded by Jack Sim. However, it was officially recognised by the UN in 2013. The Government of Singapore worked with WTO to create the first UN resolution called Sanitation for All.

India too promotes safe and hygiene toilet through its Swachh Bharat Yojna.

South Korea is experiencing a sharp rise in sleep disorders across all age groups, but the fastest increase is among its youngest population.

New government data suggests that the number of children under the age of 10 who are undergoing treatment for sleep disorders spiked by 67.5% over the past four years, compared to teenagers and adults.

Alarming Rate Of Sleep Disorder Cases In South Korea’s Children

The surprising trend has raised concerns among pediatricians and sleep experts, who warn that poor sleep habits in early childhood can have permanent effects on physical growth, learning, intelligence, emotional well-being, and mental health.

According to figures released by South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), more than 1.34 million people sought treatment for sleep disorders last year, which showed an increase of about 24% compared to 2021

While adults in their 50s, 60s, and 70s still account for the largest share of patients, the fastest growth has been recorded among children less than 10 years of age. Teenagers also experienced a notable increase of more than 32% during the same period.

Also read: Obesity-Driven CKM Syndrome A Growing Public Health Threat, Warns American Heart Association

Why Are Children In South Korea Facing Sleep Disorders?

Excessive Screentime

Health experts say that there are factors that are likely driving the surge. One of the biggest contributors is the widespread and rampant use of smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices before bedtime.

Research states that exposure to blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates the body's sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for children to fall asleep.

Increased screen time is also replacing physical activity and playtime outdoors, both of which are essential for healthy nighttime sleep.

Academic Pressure

Academic pressure could also affect children’s sleep. Many children under 10 attend after-school academies called hagwons, spend long hours studying, and have increasingly structured schedules that leave little to no time for adequate rest.

Combined with irregular bedtime and stress, these factors can disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Also read: Chronic Fatigue: More Than Just Lack of Rest

Growing Stress And Anxiety

Experts also point to growing levels of stress and anxiety among children. Family pressures, highly competitive educational environments, and lifestyle changes following the COVID-19 pandemic have all been linked to increasingly poor sleep quality in children.

Mental health problems like anxiety can both contribute to and result from chronic sleep disturbances, creating a cycle that becomes difficult to break.

Insomnia

Insomnia remains the most common sleep disorder diagnosed in South Korea. Previous research has shown that the prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders in the country nearly doubled between 2011 and 2020, highlighting that the current increase among children is part of a broader national trend.

Poor sleep during childhood could lead to poor attention, memory, learning, emotional regulation, and immune function. Children who consistently sleep too little may also face a higher risk of obesity, depression, and behavioral problems later in life.

Sleep specialists stress that parents should establish consistent bedtime routines, reduce evening screen exposure, encourage regular physical activity, and seek medical evaluation if symptoms like prolonged insomnia, loud snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness continue.

Young adults who believe vaping is safer than smoking may be in for some surprising news. According to a new study, vape users presented reduced fitness and impaired blood vessel function similar to traditional cigarette smokers.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal ERJ Open Research, compared healthy adults aged 18 to 30 and found that both regular vapers and smokers had around 15% lower exercise capacity than people who had never smoked or vaped.

About The Study

The study involved 75 healthy young adults divided into three groups: non-smokers/non-vapers, cigarette smokers, and regular vapers who had never smoked.

Participants completed an incremental cycling test while researchers measured heart and lung function, oxygen activity, blood lactate levels, and overall vascular health.

Researchers also observed equally poor blood vessel function, reduced breathing efficiency during exercise, and early muscle fatigue in both those who vaped and smoked.

What Did The Study Find?

At peak exercise, both smokers and vapers showed significantly lower oxygen uptake and reached exhaustion sooner than non-users.

They also accumulated lactic acid more quickly, leading to greater breathlessness and increased leg discomfort during exercise. Ultrasound scans and blood tests further showed signs of impaired blood vessel function and inflammation.

Dr. Azmy Faisal, senior lecturer in cardiorespiratory physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University and lead author of the study, said, “In active, healthy young adults with normal lungs, both vapes and tobacco smoking led to worsened exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and intense leg fatigue.”

"Like smoking, our research indicates that vaping can lead to harmful changes to the blood vessels, lung efficiency during exercise, and approximately a 15% reduction in fitness compared to those who have never smoked or vaped," Faisal added.

Dr. Stamatoula Tsikrika of the European Respiratory Society commented on the findings, saying the growing popularity of vaping among young people who have never smoked is becoming an increasing public health concern.

Also read: How Smoking, Alcohol, And Vaping Are Quietly Hurting Women’s Fertility

"More and more young people who have never smoked are using vapes," Tsikrika said. "As the popularity of vaping continues to rise, so too do concerns that it is becoming normalised behaviour, functioning as a gateway to nicotine addiction and introducing serious health risks."

She noted that although e-cigarettes may contain fewer cancer-causing substances than conventional cigarettes, they can still lead to significant genetic changes.

"Vapes may contain lower levels of cancer-causing substances, but they can still trigger genetic changes such as DNA damage and inflammation, which are linked to increased lung cancer risk," Tsikrika said. "For people who have never smoked and are therefore not using vapes as a cessation method, the health consequences of vaping are becoming harder for policymakers and the tobacco industry to justify."

Also read: Friends Can Have A Big Impact On Vaping Habits, Study Suggests

Smoking Vs Vaping

The researchers, however, caution that the study does not suggest that vaping is equally harmful as smoking in every respect.

Traditional cigarettes still strongly remain linked to major disorders like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many other life-threatening illnesses.

But the new study indicates that when it comes to cardiovascular fitness, breathing efficiency, lung function and blood vessel health in young adults, vaping may offer far less protection.

The United States is grappling with a growing Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened more than 3,000 people across Michigan and Ohio, with dozens requiring hospitalization.

While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet confirmed the source, Michigan health officials say lettuce and mixed salad greens have emerged as a common factor in the ongoing investigation. However, officials stress that no specific type of lettuce, grower, or supplier has been identified, and other foods have not been ruled out.

"Early information has shown lettuce as a common product that regularly comes up during the investigation," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan's chief medical executive, in an official statement.

Michigan has reported 2,640 cases, including 44 hospitalizations, while Ohio has recorded 361 cases and at least 46 hospitalizations since June 1.

As per the CDC, 31 states have reported Cyclospora infections this season, with confirmed cases increasing compared with the same period last year.

Why Packaged Salads Carry Higher Risk

Also read: Cyclospora Parasite Spreads to More US States: Foods to Avoid Right Now

Health experts say pre-packaged salad mixes may be more vulnerable to contamination than whole heads of lettuce because they are pre-cut, extensively handled, and contain a larger exposed surface area.

Cutting leafy greens creates tiny openings where contaminants can adhere more easily. Once chopped, the leaves also lose nutrients faster due to increased exposure to oxygen.

Although manufacturers wash packaged salads using antimicrobial solutions approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these sanitizers do not reliably eliminate Cyclospora, making contamination difficult to remove.

Food safety expert Gevork Kazanchyan noted that, based on recent foodborne illness investigations, bagged leafy greens have been linked to more outbreaks than whole heads of lettuce.

Why Loose Greens Are Considered Safer

Michigan health officials have advised consumers to choose whole heads of lettuce instead of pre-packaged salad kits while the investigation continues.

Experts recommend:

• Buy whole heads of lettuce instead of bagged salads.
• Remove and discard the outer two to three leaves.
• Wash the remaining inner leaves thoroughly under running water.
• Cook leafy greens whenever possible, as heat effectively kills the parasite.

Dr. Priyam Bordoloi, an internal medicine specialist from the Indian state of Assam, also advised consumers "to avoid bagged salads during the outbreak and wash fresh produce thoroughly under running water rather than soaking it".

Washing Alone May Not Be Enough

According to the US FDA, Cyclospora is resistant to common produce disinfectants, including chlorine-based washes commonly used in commercial processing.

Unlike bacteria, the parasite can survive routine washing and sanitizing. While rinsing produce removes dirt and some contaminants, it cannot guarantee the removal of Cyclospora.

Cooking vegetables to at least 70°C (158°F) is considered the most effective way to inactivate the parasite.

Foods With Lower Risk

No fresh fruit or vegetable is completely risk-free during an outbreak, but foods with thick, inedible peels generally carry a lower risk because the edible portion is naturally protected, Texas State University professor Rodney Rohde told Newsweek.

Lower-risk options include:

• Bananas
• Citrus fruits
• Avocados
• Pineapples
• Watermelons
• Mangoes

Read More: Explosive Diarrhea Parasite Spreads Across US: Why CDC Is Unable To Find The Source?

Foods More Commonly Linked to Cyclospora

Certain fresh produce has been repeatedly associated with Cyclospora outbreaks because the parasite can cling to rough or complex surfaces. These include:

• Lettuce and mixed salad greens
• Cilantro
• Raspberries
• Raw pea pods

Symptoms of Cyclospora Infection

Cyclospora infection, known as cyclosporiasis, primarily causes severe gastrointestinal illness.

Common symptoms include:

• Watery or explosive diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal cramps
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Treatment

People experiencing persistent diarrhea or other symptoms should seek medical attention. Cyclospora infection can be diagnosed through laboratory testing and is treatable with antibiotics when prescribed by a healthcare provider.