Over a third of Brits confess to not drinking any water in a single day, according to a new study
The research, commissioned by Britvic’s family brand Robinsons, showed that almost half (46 per cent) the nation dislike drinking water, with 52 per cent saying it is boring, 51 per cent preferring to drink flavoured liquids such as squash, and a quarter (23 per cent) saying they think it tastes funny. Surprisingly, one in 10 do not trust that the water they drink is clean, with residents from Belfast (25 per cent) and Plymouth (21 per cent) being most concerned.
The survey found that men (71 per cent) drink water more frequently than women (64 per cent) and almost two thirds (63 per cent) of parents find it a struggle to get their children to drink any water day to day. When it came to symptoms, females were the biggest sufferers of dehydration with 58 per cent suffering from headaches, compared to 35 per cent of men, and 35 per cent having dry skin, compared to just 21 per cent of males.
To highlight the importance of staying properly hydrated, Britvic and Robinsons have teamed up with pioneering technology company, Sixty, to introduce ground-breaking technology that assesses hydration levels and alerts customers if they should be drinking more liquid, especially when they are on-the-go. The wearable hydration monitor uses a technique called optical spectrometry that can instantly tell if the wearer is dehydrated when placed on the skin. It is the only device of its kind globally that can accurately measure hydration conveniently and non-intrusively and aims to launch to market next summer.
“Keeping hydrated, especially during the warm, summer months is important for so many reasons”, says Hydration Expert, Dr Emma Derbyshire. “The research shows that half (50 per cent) of Brits suffer from headaches as result of being dehydrated and many also feel sleepy (41 per cent) if they haven’t had enough fluid. As well as the short term impact, dehydration may also contribute to more long-term effects such as constipation, reduced kidney function and kidney stones, urinary tract infection and mental confusion – so it’s vital to ensure fluid intake is in line with recommended guidelines for men and women1. The simplest way to tell if you are dehydrated and keep track throughout the day is to look at the colour of your urine. A wearable hydration monitor with immediate results would be hugely beneficial – especially for children and the elderly who are particularly susceptible to the effects of dehydration.”
Jo Marshall, on behalf of Robinsons says, “We are committed to helping people understand what healthy hydration is. This includes knowing when they’re dehydrated and may need to take on more fluids either at home or on-the-go, whether that’s water or something with some added flavour, such as Robinsons. Our research shows that 80 per cent think it would be beneficial to check hydration using a wearable monitor, meaning there is a huge opportunity to explore.”
Paul McAleese, Founder of Sixty, says, “The idea of developing a wearable hydration monitor first came to me when my wife suffered with hyperemesis during pregnancy and I realised there wasn’t a convenient, accurate way of measuring hydration. I’m hugely excited to be working with Britvic, to bring the issue of hydration to light and to be developing Sixty, which will provide a smart solution to monitoring hydration. As a runner, a I know the importance of staying hydrated, but having Sixty makes it much easier as it tells you how much you need to drink and when.”
