Washing more than once a day could have serious health implications, according to new research carried out by experts from the University of Manchester.
According to the study, which also involved academics from universities in Edinburgh, Lancaster and Southampton, around 30% of the near 2,000 people who took part in the research claimed to wash at least once a day, sometimes more.
But Dr Alison Browne, who is based at the University of Manchester’s Sustainable Consumption Institute, says that super-hygienic practices could have serious implications.
“If the trend for more than once daily showering takes hold across the rest of the population, this not only has serious implications for energy and water sustainability, but it may also have a wider range of health impacts too,” she said.
“It’s obviously really important to wash our hands after using the bathroom or sneezing to stop the spread of bugs.
“However, scientists are increasingly saying our hygiene obsession has adversely impacted on health, especially autoimmune and other related diseases.
According to the research there were two groups who were found to wash at least once a day and both tend to be young and active.
The ‘Out and About Showering’ group take showers or baths more once a day, including showers at the gym.
Another group, the ‘Attentive Cleaners’, enjoy the bathing experience itself, and have eight or more showers or baths per week.
While the younger generation are washing more, Britain’s older generation are washing much more infrequently.
According to the study, almost a fifth of Britons living in the South East are washing less.
Researchers say this is most likely a habit of older people, the researchers say, to help save money with rising utility costs, and likely an echo from an era gone by where daily bathing was not common.
Dr Browne says that these age old bathing practices have not been passed down to the new generation.
“Unfortunately, it does seem likely that these infrequent patterns of practice are not being transmitted to younger people, and there is a risk that they may disappear altogether or are being taken over by much more water intensive norms.”
Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures/Universal Pictures via YouTube, with thanks
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