Total water intake in 7-11 year-old Spanish children according to their physical activity level.

Abstract

Introduction: Recommendation about Total Water Intake (TWI) varies according to the level of physical activity in adults, but these recommendations are not commonly extended to children. Objective: To evaluate the TWI and hydration status by 24-h urinary osmolarity (UO) in children according to their physical activity level Method: 262 out of 278 children (7-11 years old) (those with valid urine samples) were studied. Dietary data were collected by a 3-day food dietary record, and TWI and the amount of different beverages and food were calculated using the DIAL Software. 24-h urine samples were analyzed, calculating their UO. A physical activity questionnaire was filled to establish the physical activity factor and to divide the sample into tertiles (T1=low, T2= medium and T3=high activity level). Results: TWI was 1,351.5±382.8 mL/day in girls and 1,443.5±470.0 mL/day in boys (3.1% and 6.8% respectively above EFSA (2008) recommendations). UO was 764.8±200.1 and 827.1±207.1 mOsm/L in girls and boys respectively. There were no significant differences in TWI and UO regarding sex. According to activity level groups, there were no differences in girls, but UO in T1 boys was significantly lower than those of T3 (743.46±217.13 vs. 861.9±191.5 mOsm/L) and incidence of UO>800 mOsm/L was 46.2% and 63.6% respectively. Conclusion: The most active children, especially boys, are not properly hydrated. Level of physical activity should be taken into account to establish an adequate intake in children.