Water Intake
Your body is about 60% water.
The body constantly loses water throughout the day, mostly through urine and sweat but also from regular body functions like breathing. To prevent dehydration, you need to get plenty of water from drink and food every day.
There are many different opinions on how much water you should be drinking every day.
Health experts commonly recommend approx 2 litres per day.
However, some experts believe that you need to sip on water constantly throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty. As with most things, this depends on the individual. Many factors (both internal and external) ultimately affect how much water you need. This includes fluids from water, beverages like teas and juice, and from food. You get an average of 20 percent of your water from the foods you eat.
You might need more water than someone else. How much water you need also depends on:
- Where you live. You will need more water in hot, humid, or dry areas.
- Your diet. If you drink a lot of coffee and other caffeinated beverages you might lose more water through extra urination. You will likely also need to drink more water if your diet is high in salt, spicy, or sugary foods. Or, more water is necessary if you don’t eat a lot of hydrating foods that are high in water like fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables.
- The temperature or season. You may need more water in warmer months than cooler ones due to perspiration.
- Your environment. If you spend more time outdoors in the sun or hot temperatures or in a heated room, you might feel thirsty faster.
- How active you are. If you are active during the day or walk or stand a lot, you’ll need more water than someone who’s sitting at a desk. If you exercise or do any intense activity, you will need to drink more to cover water loss.
- Your health. If you have an infection or a fever, or if you lose fluids through vomiting or diarrhoea, you will need to drink more water. If you have a health condition like diabetes you will also need more water. Some medications like diuretics can also make you lose water.
- Pregnant or breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant or nursing your baby please seek advice from your Midwife.
*****Any doubts speak to a nutritionist/doctor*****
Typically, the average adult needs between 1.5 to two litres of fluid a day. This is the equivalent to around 6-8 mugs of fluid. The following table provides more detail on fluid requirements for different people and age ranges Recommended adequate intakes of water from drinks.
| Age | Adequate fluid intake from drinks (ml/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Infants | 0-6 months 7-12 months |
550ml through milk 640 – 800ml |
| Children | 1-2 years 2-3 years 4-8 years 9-13 years (boys) 9-13 years (girls) > 14 years |
880 – 960ml 1040ml 1280ml 1680ml 1520ml As adults |
| Adults (including older adults) | Men: 2000ml Women: 1600ml |
|
| Pregnant women | As adults + 300ml per day | |
| Lactating women | As adults + 600-700ml per day |
Common household measures include:
- 1 medium size glass ≈ 200 ml
- 1 can of fizzy drink ≈ 330 ml
- 1 mug ≈ 250 ml
- 1 cup ≈ 200 ml