Do you eat less than 2 pieces fruit a day? What about less than 3 servings of vegetables per day? Milk…less than 2 times a day? Soda? What about exercising 5 days a week for more than 60 minutes?
“OK, so you’re trying to make me feel guilty on FRIDAY, Shaun? Thanks alot!”
No, no, no. A recent cross-sectional study by Park and colleagues found that in high school-aged kids all these things were associated with lower intakes of water.
“Yeah…so!?”
Well, drinking more water has been associated with weight loss and maintenance, amongst other health benefits like decreasing the risk of diabetes and dental carries.
This study, just released in this month’s Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, can have a significant effect on developing future interventions for promoting healthier lifestyles and dietary intake. Since fruit, vegetable, and milk intake, eating out at fast-food restaurants, and not being physically active (in addition to the obvious sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and fruit-ades or drinks) can all impact water intake, maybe trying to make slight changes our lifestyle and dietary choices will benefit not only us, but the generations to follow.
Do you think that even though this study examined high school-aged kids that the findings can be applied to your life? Why? Why not?
