Nutrition News & Views

June 4, 1999
Water Breaks Are Important During Summer-June 1999/No.1

As the classrooms become empty for the summer, many youth begin participating in summer sports. Most of these activities expose them to the hot, humid weather that occurs with the summer months in Mississippi. As our kids become active outside, it is important to prevent health complications caused by dehydration.

The human body perspires, or sweats, to stay cool. This evaporation of sweat from the surface of the skin cools the body allowing it to maintain a normal temperature. As we perspire, we also lose large amounts of water from our bodies. Water is essential for carrying out many different roles within the body and staying healthy. Therefore, we must prevent dehydration, or loss of water, to stay healthy.

We cannot keep from sweating when playing sports during the summer, but we can drink plenty of water during the day to keep our water levels high. Youth are especially prone to dehydration because they often forget to take a break and grab a drink while they are playing. Encourage your youth to consume plenty of water. Water, not soft drinks, is the best fluid to drink. Most soft drinks contain caffeine. Caffeine, acting as a diuretic, tends to make the body remove more fluid from the body as waste. Drinking a cola or soda will only make the condition worse. Sports drinks are good to drink when the activity lasts an hour or more. During extensive endurance activities, the body loses water and electrolytes. These can be replenished quickly by drinking sports drinks.

Dehydration can affect athletic performance by decreasing the muscle's strength, endurance, and coordination. A loss of only 5 % of the body's water stores can result in muscle cramping. Increased heart rate, dizziness, and heat stroke can occur if only 7% of the body's water stores are lost. Flushed skin, fatigue, and increased body temperature are signs of dehydration. The best way to prevent dehydration from occurring is to encourage your child to take a break and drink 4 to 6 ounces of water every 30 minutes. Young people should consume plenty of water before going outside to start an activity and should continue drinking fluids after the activity. They should also avoid drinking large amounts of caffeinated beverages when they are thirsty.

It is important to stay hydrated at the pool. Many kids are involved in swim practice or recreational swimming during the summer. Just because the kids are in the pool, does not mean they are not sweating. Swimmers should consume plenty of fluids as well because they do perspire although it is not noticeable.

Sports that require protective clothing, such as football or baseball, should be kept in mind as well. Kids wearing heavy padding and uniforms often sweat even more to stay cool.

Remember to provide plenty of fluids for kids involved in any outdoor activity to keep them healthy and performing at their best. By staying hydrated, they will stay cooler in this hot weather.

Submitted by David Goldmeyer, MSU Dietetic Intern
Distributed by Barbara McLaurin, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., Human Nutrition Specialist, MSU Extension Service, June 1999

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