Aqua

Ensure your children drink water regularly

Adults have relatively good access to water but children depend on the people who care for them to provide for their basic food and water needs. It can be hard sometimes to know how much your child is drinking particularly if they’re at nursery or in full-time education. In fact, research shows that many children have an inadequate fluid intake in school. This may also be an effect of an underdeveloped sense of thirst compared with adults.

• Make sure your child has a good drink at breakfast time. For younger children it’s worth checking with the teachers that they encourage drinking at break times.
• When a child says they are thirsty, act immediately. To encourage healthy drinking habits, it’s best to offer water rather than a sweetened drink.

Lead by Example

Small children use and lose far more water comparatively than adults. So helping them understand their needs is a really valuable thing to do. Exercise some strong leadership and drink healthily yourself! You can then give your child a great start in life by passing on some of your own good habits. Help them develop a taste for unsweetened drinks and foods and you can minimize their risk of weight gain later on.

Tips for looking after children and teenagers

• offer children water regularly.
• educate them about how their bodies need water to work and play.
• for older children, provide a water bottle for them to take to school.
• check with the teachers if they encourage drinking during breaks.
• watch out for intake of high-sugar drinks.
• if possible, prevent your child developing a taste for sweetened drinks.
• if your child wants a flavoured water, try adding a twist of fresh citrus fruit.
• encourage schoolchildren to drink water before, during and after exercise.
• ensure access to water during extra-curricular activities (e.g. playground and sports activities).