ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — A study from the Harvard TH Chan school of public health found that more than half of US children are not getting enough hydration, with boys being 76 percent more likely to be inadequately hydrated.
When a child is sick with a stomach flu, most parents know it is vital to keep them hydrated. But what about staying hydrated throughout a regular day? The CDC found that children who drank less water also ate fewer fruits and vegetables, drank less milk. They also ate more fast food, drank more soda, and got less exercise. And as the rate of kidney stones in children continues to go up, experts are pushing to increase water intake.
“We know what’s good for us, we know for example that drinking a lot of fluids prevents stones but it’s very hard to do that.” said Gregory Tasian, MD, MSc, MSCE, Attending Urologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
So what can parents do?
“Using things like financial incentives and coaching so we can work on an individual to overcome those personal barriers to maintain a high fluid intake.” Dr. Tasian said.
A New York times article lists some foods that are extra hydrating, such as cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes, peppers, apples, and carrots. Give kids their own special water bottle and teach them to fill it up, and remember to lead by example.
While the recommended water intake depends on age, gender, and weight, the Children’s Hospital Colorado states that your child or teen should drink at least six to eight cups of water a day.
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Hayley Hudson, Producer; Angela Clooney, Videographer and Editor.
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