- Guidelines state 5-8 year-olds should have 5 glasses a day but most have under 2
- 32% go through entire school day having just one glass of water, survey shows
- One in 20 parents admit their child drinks absolutely nothing between 9am-3pm
- They say ‘water-only’ policies are a deterrent as squash is often more popular
- Children suffer dehydration symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and fatigue
Children drink just a quarter of the amount of water they should during the school day, according to new research.
Despite guidelines suggesting five to eight year olds should have five glasses – one litre – a day, the average child is consuming less than two.
A further 32 per cent go through the entire school day having just one glass of water.
And one in 20 parents admit most days their child drinks absolutely nothing between the hours of nine and three.
Three in 10 blame schools, saying ‘water-only’ policies deter them drinking enough fluids, as drinks like squash often prove more popular.
Worryingly, a third parents admitted their child had suffered symptoms of dehydration – such as mild headaches, dizziness and tiredness. And nearly half believe their child’s concentration becomes impaired as a result.
A survey found nearly a third of children go through the entire school day having just one glass of water (stock photo)
The survey of 2,000 parents, carried out by Easy Peel Oranges, found seven out of 10 claimed their child’s school does not have a policy in place to ensure pupils are properly hydrated during the six hours they are there.
Only six in 10 parents think their child has a drink during break time at school, and only four in 10 say their kids are allowed to have water during class time.
Struggles at home
Additionally, a third of parents admit they struggle to get their child to drink generally, and eight in 10 are convinced they rarely get enough fluids.
Crafty measures they have resorted to just to get their child to drink more includes sneaking juice and squash into their school water bottles (18 per cent of respondents) and letting them have a hot chocolate at bedtime (20 per cent).
Bargaining their dessert for a drink and allowing fizzy drinks at dinner are other ways.
Dr Emma Derbyshire, a registered public health nutritionist, said: ‘European advice is that about 70-80 per cent of water as specified in the guidelines should come from beverages and the remaining 20-30 per cent originating from food sources.
‘Many people forget that fluids can come from foods as well as drinks.
‘Swapping break, lunchbox or after-school snacks for fruits such as oranges is a great way to top up kids fluid intake.
‘It is very important that we embed healthy hydration habits from early on.’