Drinking Patterns In Relation To Hydration Status In Children

Children are known to consume various fluids in order to cover their water needs. However the contribution of the different fluid categories to hydration is still unknown in children. PURPOSE: To examine whether various drinking patterns are associated with different hydration levels. METHODS: Two hundred and ten Greek healthy children, 105 girls (height: 1.49±0.13 m, weight: 44.1±12.9 kg, fat: 27.7±7.1%) and 105 boys (height: 1.49±0.14 m, weight: 42.6±12.3 kg, fat: 22.8 ± 7.7%) were asked to collect their urine for 24 hours while conducting normal daily activities during autumn and winter months. They were also instructed to record the fluids they consumed in a diary specially designed for children, for two consecutive days. Urine samples were analyzed for color (Ucol) via an eight‐point scale, urine specific gravity (USG) via a hand‐held refractometer, and urine osmolality (Uosm) via freezing point depression osmometry. Principal components analysis was applied to extract dietary patterns from 9 drinks or drinking groups. Multivariate regression analysis evaluated the associations between the extracted dietary patterns and hydration levels deriving from 24h urine osmolality. RESULTS: Six principal components were extracted from the analysis. Component 1 was mainly characterized by consumption of milk, but not water, component 2 by packaged juice and sugar sweetened drinks (SSD) but not Natural Juice, component 3 by natural juice and rest drinks, component 4 by packaged juice, component 5 by water and milk and component 6 by natural juice and SSDs. Component 5 was inversely correlated with hypohydration (P=0.006), whereas none of the other components was associated with the outcomes. CONCLUSION: A drinking pattern that includes water and milk seems to promote better hydration. Grant Funding Source : Danone Research