Abstract
AimUrine color (UC) is a practical tool for hydration assessment. The technique has been validated in adults, but has not been tested in children.PurposeThe purpose of the study was to test the validity of the urine color scale in young, healthy boys and girls, as a marker of urine concentration, investigate its diagnostic ability of detecting hypohydration and examine the ability of children to self-assess UC.MethodsA total of 210 children participated (age: 8–14 years, body mass: 43.4 ± 12.6 kg, height: 1.49 ± 0.13 m, body fat: 25.2 ± 7.8 %). Data collection included: two single urine samples (first morning and before lunch) and 24-h sampling. Hydration status was assessed via urine osmolality (UOsmo) and UC via the eight-point color scale.ResultsMean UC was 3 ± 1 and UOsmo 686 ± 223 mmol kg−1. UC displayed a positive relationship as a predictor of UOsmo (R2: 0.45, P < 0.001). Based on the receiver operating curve, UC has good overall classification ability for the three samples (area under the curve 85–92 %), with good sensitivity (92–98 %) and specificity (55–68 %) for detecting hypohydration. The overall accuracy of the self-assessment of UC in the morning or the noon samples ranged from 67 to 78 %. Further threshold analysis indicated that the optimal self-assessed UC threshold for hypohydration was ≥4.ConclusionsThe classical eight-point urine color scale is a valid method to assess hydration in children of age 8–14 years, either by researchers or self-assessment.
Highlights
Adequate fluid intake and hydration status is important to sports performance, cognition and overall well-being in adults [1,2,3,4], and children [5,6,7]
Lab-urine color (UC) ratings from both individual urine samples and the 24-h collection were strongly positively associated with UOsmo in young and healthy children
A laboratory-measured UC has a strong diagnostic capacity to identify hypohydration, and a UC of 3 or greater is indicative of hypohydration in individual and 24-h urine samples
Summary
Adequate fluid intake and hydration status is important to sports performance, cognition and overall well-being in adults [1,2,3,4], and children [5,6,7]. Within large-scale investigations, urinary markers, osmolality (UOsmo), have been identified as an easy-to-use, laboratory-based, hydration assessment technique [8]. The sensitivity of UC as a clinical measure of hydration status has been brought up as a potential limiting factor to its use [8]. UC use in children is limited because previous validation investigations established its utility through measurements within the adult population. The implications of hydration status assessment within youth are as important, and validation across a wider age range is necessary
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
