'My son hasn't had a glass of water since he was four - and I understand why'

Daily Mirror

15 hours ago

A new survey has revealed four in ten Brits rely on cups of tea to stay hydrated - and one mum has said her son hasn't drunk a glass of water in five years because it's "boring"
More than two and a half million Brits struggle to recall the last time they had a plain glass of water. Research has discovered almost half rely primarily on cups of tea to stay hydrated, with a third opting for coffee or fizzy drinks. Boomers are twice as likely as Gen Z to rely on tea for their fluid intake. Meanwhile, women are more likely than men to fail to drink enough water.
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The survey based on 2,000 adults found only 17 per cent are consuming enough water, based on NHS guidance which suggests up to eight glasses a day. What's more, one in ten parents polled don't think their children drink enough each day.
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The study, which also surveyed 837 teenagers, discovered 15 per cent of them consume plain water only a few times a week at most, leaving many parents worried about their intake and three quarters having to 'force' their children to stay hydrated. It comes after a doctor's warning to people who drink even a 'single cup of tea'.
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One mum, Kelly Mulligan, 53, says her son, Max who is nine, hasn't had a glass of plain water since he was four years old. The youngster would rather drink apple juice, which Kelly dilutes with water to keep his sugar content down.
"Max has never liked plain water he says there's no flavour," she said. "I don't drink plain water either. I can only drink carbonated water or tea."
Kelly, from Brighton, who runs her own cleaning business, explained: "Max will take little sips of water if he needs to, but he's always thirsty and says plain water doesn't quench his thirst."
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Max has to take a bottle of water to school as they are not allowed anything else, but Kelly isn't sure how much of it he actually drinks.
"He's healthy and happy, so I have no concerns. He has a varied diet and keeps active. It isn't like he's drinking no liquids at all. The diluted apple juice is a middle ground which helps keep my concerns for his teeth a bay," she said.
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According to the research commissioned by hydration drink Más+ by Messi, which is promoting positive hydration to keep Brits on top of their game, 34 per cent of 13–17 year olds prefer other beverages to water, while 26 per cent 'forget' to consume it.
Meanwhile, 29 per cent of grown-ups reckoned tea, coffee and fizzy drinks are just as good as water for staying hydrated. However, 17 per cent regularly suffer symptoms they reckon are caused by dehydration, including headaches or tiredness.
Only 12 per cent actively track their water consumption, with 60 per cent not bothering whatsoever – and the rest attempting to keep mental notes on their intake.
Sophie Van Ettinger, global VP Más+ by Messi, said: "It's alarming the number of people who are not aware they are dehydrated daily and will often go through days experiencing a lack of energy or headaches, not realising a simple glass of water or even a hydration drink is the solution."
Leo Messi, co-founder for the drink, added: "As an athlete, I know the importance of hydration for peak performance."