Adequate hydration is essential for children's health and proper development, but many children choose sugary drinks instead of water, which can lead to obesity, tooth decay or concentration problems. Experts recommend still water or healthier alternatives such as water with fruit, herbal teas or fresh juices. Unfortunately, some children do not consume enough fluids, resulting in weakness, headaches and electrolyte disturbances.
Table of contents:
- How much fluid does a child need?
- What can children drink?
- Do children drink enough fluids?
- Water - the best choice for a child's health
- How do sweet drinks affect a child's body?
- Healthy alternatives to sweetened drinks
- Water drinking habits - how to develop them from an early age?
Many parents worry that their children are reluctant to drink water, opting instead for sugary drinks that can negatively affect their health. Adequate hydration is the basis of their proper development and the foundation of their wellbeing, so it is worth ensuring that your child drinks enough of it and avoids excessive sugar intake. In this article, we discuss how much fluid your child should drink per day and what you can do to encourage them to drink water.
How much fluid does a child need?
The amount of fluids children should consume each day depends primarily on their age and stage of development. As they grow up, the need for hydration gradually increases. According to the latest nutritional standards for the Polish population, the recommended daily fluid intake for children is as follows:
- 6-12 months - 800-1000 ml/day,
- 1-3 years - 1250 ml/day,
- 4-6 years - 1600 ml/day,
- 7-9 years - 1750 ml/day,
- boys 10-12 years - 2100 ml/day,
- boys 13-15 years - 2350 ml/day,
- boys 16-18 years - 2500 ml/day,
- girls 10-12 years - 1900 ml/day,
- girls 13-15 years - 1950 ml/day,
- girls 16-18 years - 2000 ml/day.
Why you should give your child water, photo: panthermedia
What can children drink?
Regardless of the stage of life (except for newborns) , still water should be the basic drink for children. As they get older, they can be introduced to teas, herbal infusions or juices. Soups, milk, vegetable drinks and cocoa are also included in the daily fluid intake.
On the other hand, drinks that are not recommended include sugary fizzy drinks, flavoured waters with added sugar, isotonic and energy drinks. Unfortunately, it is these products that children are more likely to reach for, which in the long term can affect their health and the development of, for example, overweight and obesity.
Are children drinking enough fluids?
A report on the health and lifestyle of Polish schoolchildren was published in 2019. According to this report, pupils in the majority of schools did not have access to sugary fizzy drinks and energy drinks. Importantly, around two-thirds of schools provide children with free water.
However, despite the care taken by schools to provide children with water, many children and teenagers do not drink it in adequate amounts.
In January 2024, the NIK hosted an expert panel to discuss the impact of Poles' lifestyles and habits on health. The panel also addressed the issue of children drinking water. It turns out that, according to research, as many as 36 per cent of children are slightly dehydrated and therefore develop certain symptoms related to this, such as weakness, concentration disorders or headaches. What is worrying, however, is that around 17% are severely dehydrated. In this situation, children are at greater risk of, among other things, drops in immunity, electrolyte disturbances or disorders of the nervous system.
Children and sugary drinks: consequences, photo: panthermedia
Water - the best choice for children's health
A newborn baby's body is made up of around 75% water, but the water content gradually decreases with age. In adults, it is already around 60%. In order to stay healthy and well, children should hydrate regularly, but research shows that this recommendation is often not followed. Experts recommend that children should have regular access to non-carbonated water - spring or mineral water (for older children).
So why is water the best choice for a child? Because it is a body-neutral drink, free of extra calories, sugars and artificial additives that can negatively affect a child's health. Water is essential for many physiological processes:
- regulates body temperature,
- removes waste products from the metabolism,
- transports nutrients and oxygen to the cells,
- maintains the normal volume of body cells,
- improves concentration and proper functioning of the brain.
How do sweet drinks affect a child's body?
We already know that water should be a child's primary drink, but it appears that young children often prefer to reach for sweet and flavoured drinks, which usually contain large amounts of sugar and artificial additives.
Drinking water: how to encourage healthy habits in your child, photo: panthermedia
Sugars (carbohydrates) are an essential part of a child's diet, but they should come from valuable sources such as fruit, whole-grain bread, cereals or legumes. However, excess sugar, particularly easy to achieve through the consumption of sugary drinks, can lead to serious health problems such as:
- hyperactivity,
- tooth decay,
- changes in bone density,
- problems with concentration,
- development of high blood pressure,
- disorders of the carbohydrate metabolism,
- problems with maintaining a normal body weight,
- increased risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood.
Healthy alternatives to sweetened beverages
Children who are used to sweet drinks may initially be reluctant to replace them with plain water. However, this does not mean that they have to give them up completely. However, it is worth giving them healthier alternatives instead of the classic flavoured drinks. Recommended alternatives are, for example, homemade fruit syrups diluted with water, water with frozen fruit or with a slice of orange, kiwi, lemon and mint.
Lemonades, in which sugar is recommended to be replaced by erythritol or xylitol, are also a good idea. Older children can also drink herbal infusions, which should be enriched with flavourings such as ginger, cinnamon or occasionally honey. Natural fruit teas without artificial flavours and freshly squeezed juices are also recommended.
The habit of drinking water - how can it be formed from an early age?
The habit of drinking water should be formed in children from an early age. Ideally, during the first few years of life, the child should have no contact with sweet drinks at all, and when thirsty, it should be given mainly water.
Children learn by imitation, so parents should use water themselves as a basic drink, thus setting a good example. If the child likes fruit, water can be made more interesting by adding, for example, strawberries, raspberries or a bit of home-made juice. To encourage the youngest to drink, it is a good idea to serve it in colourful cups or glasses with their favourite cartoon characters. Older children, to encourage them to drink, should have water constantly in sight, e.g. in a jug in their room.
