AMERICA'S POOR DRINKING HABITS CONTRADICT KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTH RISKS
(Compiled from a survey conducted by Yankelovich Partners for IBWA)
Survey shows awareness of water's benefits is high, but amount consumed is low
- On average, Americans consume 17.6 eight-ounce servings of beverages each day. Of that amount, 6.1 servings are water, including 2.3 servings of bottled water.
- In addition to water, Americans drink 5.6 servings of beverages such as milk, juice, carbonated soda without caffeine, new-age beverages and sports drinks.
- The remaining 5.9% servings are beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol. Research has shown that these substances are diuretics that can cause the body to lose water, thereby lowering the net total of hydrating beverages. In fact, 33% of what Americans drink every day can cause dehydration.
FEW DRINK THE DAILY RECOMMENDED AMOUNT
- Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans know that health and nutrition experts recommend drinking eight or more eight-ounce servings of water daily. However, 51 percent admit to drinking less than this amount.
- Only 34 percent claim they drink eight or more servings per day. Twenty-eight percent drink three or fewer servings, and nearly 10 percent say they don't drink water at all.
- In addition, Americans claim to experience health problems on a frequent basis that are symptomatic of dehydration. These include frequent tiredness or grogginess when waking up or at mid-day (19%), dry or itchy skin (14%), headaches (11%), indigestion (9%), lapses in concentration (7%) and constipation (4%).
INCONVENIENCE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO PROPER HYDRATION
- Americans give a variety of reasons for not drinking enough water such as lack of time or being too busy (21%). Other reasons include: don't like the taste (13%), prefer other beverages (12%), forgetting (10%), not feeling thirsty (8%), no bottled water available (4%), can't leave their desks for a hydration break (4%), worry about too many restroom breaks (2%).
HIGHLY CONSCIOUS ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER
- Most Americans are aware of the importance of water consumption to their overall health. Americans (91%) know that drinking enough water is important for pregnant and breast-feeding women, and that water is the best choice to replace fluids after exercising. In addition, 88 percent know that people shouldn't wait until they're thirsty to drink water, and 77 percent are aware that caffeine and alcohol can cause the body to lose water.
KNOWLEDGE GAPS PERSIST
- Americans are unclear about hydration as it relates to certain physiological conditions. Thirty-two percent of respondents do not know that giving a child water instead of juice or regular soda may prevent childhood obesity. Nearly half (49%) believe the body loses less water while asleep. Thirty-seven percent think people need fewer fluids when the weather is cold than when it is warm. And 39 percent do not realize that a headache may be a sign of dehydration.
My Comments: Now more than ever we need to be aware of the quality of our drinking water and also how much we are drinking for our health and also paying for it.
For more information on QUALITY ALKALINE WATER and the proper diet for a healthy pH
Contact:
Martha Anderson - 913-631-3615
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