Water is an amazing zero-calorie substance that helps curb cravings, protect our teeth when treated with fluoride, and save our teeth from other sugar-packed liquids. However, according to a new study, many American children aren’t getting enough water in their daily diet, and some aren’t getting any at all.
According to researchers at the Water, Health and Nutrition Laboratory at Penn State University, on any given day, 1 in 5 American children don’t drink any water at all. Those who skip water end up consuming almost twice as many calories from sugar-sweetened beverages as their water-drinking counterparts. Asher Rosinger, director of the laboratory and study author, said this translates to about an extra 100 calories a day, which over time can increase the child’s risk for becoming overweight or obese.
“Drinking water is the healthiest beverage to drink,” said Rosinger. “Water is an essential nutrient that is critical to proper physiological and cognitive functioning.”
On the flip side, sugar-packed drinks can have a harmful effect, especially if it is the child’s main source of liquid intake.
[Sugary drinks] are problematic because they have been linked to many negative health conditions, such as weight gain, dental caries [cavities], and type 2 diabetes,” said Rosinger. “Kids should drink water every day, and it should be the first option [parents] go to when their kids are thirsty.”
Water Consumption in US Children
The study was conducted using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which looked at health data from 2011 to 2012 and 2015 to 2016. Nearly 8,500 children (between the age of 2 and 19) reported whether they drank water and/or sugar-sweetened beverages on a daily basis. For reference, sugar-sweetened beverages included fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas and coffee drinks, while zero-calorie diet soda, 100 percent fruit juices and unsweetened coffees and teas were excluded.
Researchers found that 1 in 5 children didn’t drink water on a given day. Of the kids that didn’t drink water, they averaged about 200 daily calories from sugary beverages, compared to about 100 calories for children who said they consumed both water and other drinks. That may not seem like a lot of calories, but over time, that would add up to about 10-12 extra pounds of weight a year.
At the end of the day, parents need to be more cognizant about pushing water on their children instead of sugary beverages like sweet juices and sodas. Kids don’t need the extra calories and they certainly don’t need the excess sugars. Sometimes sweetened beverages can be given out in moderation, but try to make water the most frequently consumed liquid in your house among your family members on a daily basis if you want to help their health.