2023-08-13 09:57:59
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — A new study finds that increasing children’s access to water leads to increased hydration and reduced excess weight for them.
The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, involved more than 1,200 students from 18 schools in the Bay Area.
“The study was conducted in racially diverse, low-income elementary schools where students are at higher risk of chronic health problems, including overweight and obesity,” said Dr. Anisha Patel, lead author of the study and professor of pediatrics at Stanford University in California.
Half of the schools were given water dispensers and filling stations for water bottles in congested areas, while no changes were made in the other half of the schools.
Patel noted that the group of students who had greater access to water also received cups or bottles as well as educational lessons on the importance of drinking enough water.
“We also talked regarding the importance of tap water for environmental reasons, as well as the financial benefits of drinking water over other more expensive drinks,” she added.
At the end of the 15-month study period, schools in the control group had 7 times more students classified as overweight than schools with access to drinking water.
“I always tell people, ‘Drink water first,’ because that will make someone less thirsty and more likely to drink sugary drinks,” said Dr. One of my research showed that children who did not drink water on a given day consumed twice as many calories from sugary drinks as children who did drink water.”
But there are many reasons why hydration is important, and Patel said she hopes future studies will look at what other health benefits more access to water might provide.
How to increase your child’s water consumption
With the new school year approaching, reusable water bottles should be among the important items on your back-to-school shopping list, according to Patel.
“It’s important to make sure that children have access to drinking bottles so they can drink water throughout the day. And if they don’t have an actual way to drink water, they can take a few sips at a time,” she added.
And if the water doesn’t taste very appealing to them, they can always find ways to flavor it with fruits or herbs, according to Patel.
But while families try to encourage their children to drink enough water, it’s important that schools, communities and governing bodies also make it a priority, Rosenger said.
“We must prioritize access to clean and safe water, especially for low-income and marginalized population groups in the United States,” he said.
“My research has shown that many marginalized groups in the United States do not trust tap water for historical reasons of poor water quality, and as a result choose sweetened beverages, or expensive bottled water,” he continued.
He added that making sure everyone has access to free or at least affordable clean water is critical to health and well-being.
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