title: Fluid intake in Spanish children and adolescents; a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some studies demonstrated that dehydration process is prevalent among young populations and subsequently, a cause of concern. However, the evaluation of the fluid consumption pattern of children and adolescent populations has not been widely assessed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the total fluid intake from different types of beverages in Spanish children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 238 children and adolescents aged 3-17 years were randomly recruited from all Spanish regions. The information about the quantity and quality of daily fluid intake from different types of beverages was collected using a 24 h fluid-specific diary over 7 consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fluid intake was < 80% of the EFSA recommendations in 87% of the study population. In our sample, water was the main contributor to fluid intake, followed by milk and derivates and sweet regular beverages. No differences in consumption patterns were found according to gender. Consumption of hot beverages as well as sweet regular and sweet light beverages increased with age, while milk and milk derivates consumption decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The large majority of our young population did not meet the EFSA recommendations for total water intake. Therefore, an increase in plain water consumption in children and adolescents should be promoted in order to fulfill the fluid needs without increasing calorie intake.
authors.affiliation: Human Nutrition Unit, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. IISPV (Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili). Biochemistry Biotechnology Department. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Reus. Spain. CIBERobn (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición). Institute of Health Carlos III. Madrid. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Juan Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fenández-Alvira
authors.affiliation: Human Nutrition Unit, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. IISPV (Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili). Biochemistry Biotechnology Department. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Reus. Spain. CIBERobn (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición). Institute of Health Carlos III. Madrid. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iglesia
authors.affiliation: GENUD (Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development) Research Group. Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Zaragoza. Zaragoza. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Cíntia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferreira-Pêgo
authors.affiliation: GENUD (Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development) Research Group. Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Zaragoza. Zaragoza. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Babio
authors.affiliation: Human Nutrition Unit, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. IISPV (Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili). Biochemistry Biotechnology Department. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Reus. Spain. CIBERobn (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición). Institute of Health Carlos III. Madrid. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salas-Salvadó
authors.affiliation: GENUD (Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development) Research Group. Faculty of Health Sciences. University of Zaragoza. Zaragoza. Spain.. lmoreno@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003681:Dehydration / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology