From medical conditions to the urge to play, as well as internal and external distractions, there are various reasons children struggle with focusing on school-related tasks. Recent research, however, asserts that difficulty in concentration may be due to a physiological problem: dehydration.

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Most American Children
Suffer Dehydration
[Study]

2. From medical conditions to the urge to play, as well as internal and external distractions,
there are various reasons children struggle with focusing on school-related tasks. Recent
research, however, asserts that difficulty in concentration may be due to a physiological
problem: dehydration.
The Staggering Statistics
A study conducted by experts at Harvard
University found that more than half of
children and teens in the United States are
not getting enough hydration. The data
collected and analyzed were from more than
4,000 children who participated in the
National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey.
The primary goal of the study was to
determine the level of hydration among kids.
To do this, researchers employed the
osmolality urine test, evaluating each
participant’s urine concentration, which refers
to the amount of water and wastes present.
After analyzing data, the results showed that
54.5% of children suffer from dehydration. In
terms of gender and race, boys were 76%
more prone to the health problem than girls,
while non-Hispanic blacks were 34% more
likely than non-Hispanic whites.

3. The Impact of the Problem
While dehydration does not present an urgent
health threat, it is a problem that gradually
reduces quality of life. As mentioned, it can
affect a child’s school performance, as it
compromises cognitive functions. Previous
studies have confirmed this and asserted that
dehydration causes the brain to shrink.
Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry
in London and the MRC Cognition and Brain
Sciences Unit in Cambridge found that
brain function is less efficient in
inadequately hydrated young adults. The
results of their study showed that
particular tasks, such as problem solving
and learning, became more difficult to
accomplish when the body is dehydrated.
More than the compromised cognitive
functions, dehydration was also found to
affect over-all health, causing bladder and
kidney problems, digestive disorders,
fatigue, high blood pressure, and more.
The Reason behind Lack of Hydration
The researchers from Harvard University believed that one of the reasons children do not
drink enough water is because water stations in schools look old and outdated. They also
found that children prefer sugary beverages over water. The team said that choosing “more
appealing” stations are effective in encouraging hydration.

4. Modern equipment that feature advanced water filtration technologies are now more
widely available. These can help not just in promoting hydration, but also making
children choose water instead of sugary drinks.
More children suffer dehydration—without them knowing it. Educational institutions and
parents should work hand-in-hand to promote drinking more water to avoid serious
health risks.
RESOURCES:
http://kineticoutah.com
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/study-finds-inadequate-hydration-
among-u-s-children/
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hbm.20999/abstract