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The association between hydration status and total fluid intake in healthy children and adolescents
Priscilla Clayton1, Maria Angélica Trak-Fellermeier1, Alison Macchi1
1Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street AHC5, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
Insights
Fruit juice and overall beverage intake are key predictors of optimal hydration status in US children and adolescents. This study highlights the importance of specific fluid choices for maintaining hydration in young populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Hydration Biomarkers
- Dietary Assessment
Background:
- Suboptimal hydration status is prevalent in US children and adolescents aged 10-20 years.
- Objective hydration assessment, using urine specific gravity (USG), is crucial but understudied in relation to dietary intake.
- Limited research exists associating objective hydration markers with dietary intake data from 24-hour recalls in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific foods and beverages significantly associated with objective hydration markers in children and adolescents.
- To evaluate the relationship between dietary intake and urine specific gravity (USG) in a pediatric sample.
- To provide data for epidemiological studies on hydration and dietary factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized three 24-hour dietary recalls analyzed with the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR).
- Objectively measured hydration status using urine specific gravity (USG) from 24-hour urine collections.
- Employed logistic regression analyses to assess associations between dietary intake and hydration status.
Main Results:
- A total of 68 participants (50% female) were included in the study.
- The average USG score was 1.020 ± 0.011, with 39.7% of participants categorized as dehydrated.
- Fruit juice intake (OR 1.009) and total beverage intake (OR 1.001) were significantly associated with higher odds of euhydration after adjusting for age and sex.
Conclusions:
- Fruit juice and overall beverage consumption emerged as primary predictors of hydration status in the study sample.
- Further research with larger, more generalizable samples is recommended to explore dietary patterns and hydration.
- This study provides novel insights into beverage contributions to hydration status using objective measures in children and adolescents.
Background:
Children 10-20 years old in the US have suboptimal hydration status. Hydration is best assessed using an objective marker, such as urine specific gravity (USG) from a 24-h urine collection. There are limited studies associating hydration from an objective marker with intake assessed from 24-h recalls in children. The objective of the study was to evaluate which foods or beverages are significantly associated with an objective marker of hydration (USG) in a sample of children and adolescents.
Methods:
Intake was assessed from three 24-h dietary recalls and analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR). Hydration status was objectively measured using USG via 24-h urine collection. Associations were assessed with logistic regressions.
Results:
A total of 68 children and adolescents were recruited (50% females). Average overall USG score was 1.020 ± 0.011 uG with 39.7% categorized as dehydrated. After adjusting for age and sex, fruit juice (1.009, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.018) and all beverages (1.001, 95% CI: 1.000, 1.002) were significantly associated with higher odds of being euhydrated.
Conclusions:
The main predictors of hydration were fruit juice and all beverages intake. Future research should be conducted to explore differences in dietary patterns in a larger, more generalizable sample.
Impact:
Findings showed that the main predictors of hydration were water and fruit juice intake in children and water intake in adolescents in southern Florida. This is the first study to examine which type of beverages and foods are associated with USG, an objective marker of hydration status, in US children and adolescents. Provides further insight into the use of objective markers to assess hydration status, while providing data to assist epidemiological studies that may have limited resources to examine beverages and foods that contribute to hydration.
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