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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1463501
This article is part of the Research Topic Optimizing Hydration: Advances in Understanding, Assessment, and Promotion View all 8 articles

Seasonal Fluctuation of Total Water Intake and Hydration Status among Young Men and Women: A Prospective Cohort Study

Provisionally accepted
Jianfen Zhang Jianfen Zhang 1,2Na Zhang Na Zhang 1*Junbo Lu Junbo Lu 1,3Shufang Liu Shufang Liu 4Yongwei Lin Yongwei Lin 1Guansheng Ma Guansheng Ma 1*
  • 1 School of Public Health, Health Science Centre, Peking University, Beijing, China
  • 2 National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
  • 3 National Center For Occupational Safety And Health NHC, Beijing, China
  • 4 School of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Water intake and hydration status have been reported to fluctuate throughout the year.The present study investigated seasonal fluctuations of total water intake and hydration status among young adults in Baoding, China. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 82 young adults aged 18-23 years in Baoding, China. Total drinking fluids consumed and water from food were assessed, and the osmolality and electrolyte concentrations of 24h urine and fasting blood samples were determined. Differences among the four seasons were compared by mixed linear models, followed by determinations of least-significant differences (LSD), with spring used as the reference.Results: Seventy-nine participants (43 men and 36 women) completed the study. Total water intake (TWI) was 359~429 mL higher in spring and summer than in autumn and winter and was 116 mL higher in summer than in winter (all p<0.05). Chinese recommendations for TWI were met by 13.9% to 22.8% of participants, and recommendations for total fluid intake were met by 10.1% to 16.5%, but these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Urinary and plasma biomarkers differed significantly among the four seasons (p<0.05), with osmolality and urine specific gravity (USG) being significantly higher in summer than in other seasons (p<0.05). The percentage of participants with optimal hydration status increased from 38.0% in summer to 62.0% in spring (p<0.05). Men had more concentrated urine, as well as higher plasma osmolality and solute concentrations than women during each season of the year (p<0.05). Conclusions: TWI and urinary and plasma biomarkers of hydration were found to vary seasonally among Chinese young adults, with hydration biomarkers were more concentrated in summer. Men need to pay more attention than women to maintain optimal hydration status. Trial registration: This study has been registered in the Chinese clinical trial registry under registration number ChiCTR2100045268.

    Keywords: seasonal fluctuations, Total water intake, Hydration status, males, females

    Received: 12 Jul 2024; Accepted: 12 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Zhang, Lu, Liu, Lin and Ma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Na Zhang, School of Public Health, Health Science Centre, Peking University, Beijing, China
    Guansheng Ma, School of Public Health, Health Science Centre, Peking University, Beijing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.