Prompts Water Drinking Eight Glasses a Day Not Misleading

This suggestion is based on the consensus of the experts of nutrition and health of tens of years ago and the drinking culture in the context of UK adults, who consume milk, juice, and alcohol to 4 glasses a day. Number of intake of three types of beverages are not included in the recommendation to drink 1.2 liters.Britons used to eat lots of fruits and vegetables are also a source of water. 

How does the fact that in Indonesia? For the first time, in 2009 Indonesia has the research data, which we call the Thirst (The Indonesian Regional Hydration Study) about dehydration issues, knowledge and water intake in adolescents and adults Indonesia, in particular. 

The research was conducted in six cities with the largest number of subjects compared to similar studies, namely 1200 subjects males and females adolescents and adults (not including the elderly). Facts based on the results of this study showed that 46.1 percent of adolescent and adult subjects experienced mild dehidarasi, which is equivalent to lack of water bodies around 2 percent. 

Measurement of dehydration based on examination of urine in the laboratory with a urine specific gravity criteria of> = 1.02. In this study also analyzed the total water intake from all sources of drinking water ie, water from food, water and products of metabolism. The average total daily water intake of the subjects who did not get dehydrated from all the sources of the water was 2.9 liters, 1.8 liters of which are derived from water and 0.5 liters of drinking water other. This means that the subject is normal or not dehydrated to drink about 2.3 liters of water a day.Water intake of milk, juice, and alcohol in this study is very low, unlike in the UK. 

Water requirements would vary according to age group, activity, body temperature, and ambient temperature. Water needs for children and the elderly is lower than the water needs of adolescents and adults. Water needs of pregnant and lactating mothers need more water than women when not pregnant and not breastfeeding. 

Water needs before the six-month-old baby from breast milk is that from our study in Bogor is about 0.65 liters per day. Research kidney specialist Siregar, P et al (2009) in Jakarta showed that the water needs of the elderly is lower than adults is 1 to 1.5 liters a day. 

This is a scientific fact from studies in Indonesia, which proves that the wise decision of nutrition and health experts and decision makers in the MOH in 1995 on the recommendation to drink 2 liters of water a day is correct. 

 Messages at least 2 liters of drinking water in the guidelines is balanced nutrition for teens and adults in general, not for children and the elderly need less water, which is 3-6 glasses a day depending the age and physical activity. 

Therefore, the suggestion of the Department of Public Health in the Guide Balanced Nutrition (MOH, 1995) to drink safe and adequate, ie 2 liters or 8 glasses a day for the people of Indonesia adolescence and adulthood have a scientific basis that can dipertangungjawabkan, no bullshit and not misleading.Similarly, the visualization of the recommended eight glasses of water within the current Balanced Nutrition Tumpeng.