RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Is water out of vogue? A survey of the drinking habits of 2-7 year olds.
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 137
OP 140
DO 10.1136/adc.72.2.137
VO 72
IS 2
A1 Petter, L P
A1 Hourihane, J O
A1 Rolles, C J
YR 1995
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/72/2/137.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE--To survey the drinking habits of young children with reference to the consumption of plain water, and to estimate the proportion of a child's recommended energy intake contributed by drinks. DESIGN--A prospective survey. SETTING--Health centres, mother and toddler groups, and infant schools in and around Southampton. SUBJECTS--39 preschool and 66 infant schoolchildren. INTERVENTIONS--Parents kept a diary of all drinks consumed by the child over 48 hours. Parents were interviewed with a questionnaire about the drinking habits of their child. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--The type of drinks and volume of fluid consumed over 48 hours; the proportion of a child's recommended energy intake consumed through drinks. RESULTS--72.5% of the preschool group and 50% of the infant school group never drank plain water. Squash was by far the most frequently consumed drink. 15% of the preschool group consumed just under 50% of their recommended daily energy intake in drinks. CONCLUSIONS--Young children consume large quantities of squash which constitutes a substantial energy supply. It is possible that they are conditioned at an early age to the sweet taste of drinks that may be no nutritional benefit to them.