Is it not cool for kids today to drink plain water? While my toddler is fascinated by the drinking fountain (or bubbler as we called it up North), most teens won't get near one at school or in public. And while plastic water bottles may not be a faux paux, more kids carry bottles filled with sugary drinks.

This leaves many parents and health professionals wondering, "Does my kid drink enough water?" To answer this question, researchers recently looked at the water intake of almost 4,000 boys and girls aged 2 to 19 years, who had been included in a national nutrition study from 2005 to 2006.

Unknown to many, someone's total water intake comes from not only plain tap water but a variety of sources including moist foods (e.g., fruits), nutritious drinks (e.g., milk and 100% juice), AND "nonnutritive beverages" (e.g., coffee, tea, soda). However, as most do know, just because sweetened beverages do count toward total water it doesn't make them healthy to drink on a frequent basis.

So what did researchers find? Do kids drink enough water?

• The mean usual intake of total water was less than the Adequate Intake (set by the Institute of Medicine) for ALL children and adolescents except those 2-3 years of age
• More boys reported intakes of at least the Adequate Intake
• The percentage of total water intake from plain water increased with age; but as intake of plain water increased the intake of other healthy beverages like milk decreased
• Plain water intake was inversely associated with (opposite to) intake of water from other beverages and the energy density of foods; thus, children who drank more plain water drank less other beverages and ate less high calorie foods
• More than two-thirds of total water consumption came from beverages with meals, while only one-third of plain water was consumed with meals

What does all of this mean? Overall, kids do not get enough total water. This is concerning because even mild dehydration can have negative effects like fatigue, muscle weakness, and headaches. Furthermore, kids are consuming most of their total water with meals, which opens some opportunities for education. Promote plain water during the day (e.g., with snacks) and encourage the replacement of "nonnutritive" (less healthy/sugary) beverages at meals with plain water or healthy beverages like low fat milk and 100% juice.

What are some creative ways to promote plain water? To find out how much total water your child needs click here (see page 4).

Kant, A.K. (2010). Contributors of water intake in us children and adolescents: associations with dietary and meal characteristics - national health and nutrition examination survey 2005-2006. Am J Clin Nutr, 92, 887-96.