Much of the health advice doled out to children revolves around what they should not be drinking - namely sugary beverages.
A new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health looks at what they aren't drinking enough of - water. It concludes that more than half of all children and adolescents in the U.S. are not getting enough hydration -- probably because they're not drinking enough water.
That, the authors conclude, could have a significant impact on their physical health as well as their cognitive and emotional functioning.
Not an immediate threat
"These findings are significant because they highlight a potential health issue that has not been given a whole lot of attention in the past," said lead author Erica Kenney. "Even though for most of these kids this is not an immediate, dramatic health threat, this is an issue that could really be reducing quality of life and well-being for many, many children and youth."
To arrive at their conclusion, the researchers analyzed data from 2009-2012 on more than 4,000 kids aged 6 to 19 years. They used accepted medical tests to determine whether or not participants were adequately hydrated.
They found that a little more than half of all children and adolescents weren't getting enough hydration. There were some stark differences between groups. Boys were 76% more likely than girls to be inadequately hydrated. Non-Hispanic blacks were 34% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to get inadequate amounts of water.
Many drink no water
Incredibly almost a quarter of the children and adolescents in the study reported drinking no plain water at all.
"The good news is that this is a public health problem with a simple solution," said senior author Steven Gortmaker, professor of the practice of health sociology. "If we can focus on helping children drink more water--a low-cost, no-calorie beverage -- we can improve their hydration status, which may allow many children to feel better throughout the day and do better in school."
Hydration, of course, is especially important on hot summer days.
In the heat
"It keeps the body from overheating," say experts at the Cleveland Clinic. "When you exercise, your muscles generate heat. To keep from burning up, your body needs to get rid of that heat. The main way the body discards heat in warm weather is through sweat. As sweat evaporates, it cools the tissues beneath. Lots of sweating reduces the body's water level, and this loss of fluid affects normal bodily functions."
Signs of dehydration include fatigue, loss of appetite, flushed skin, light-headeness and a dry cough. Both children and adults should drink plenty of water during warm weather.
The best way to beat dehydration, the clinic advises, is to drink before you get thirsty. If you wait until after you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated.
Although excessive dehydration is associated with serious health problems, even mild dehydration can cause issues, including headaches, irritability, poorer physical performance, and reduced cognitive functioning.
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