May 26, 2006
BWA Hydration Calculator Provides Helpful Information
ALEXANDRIA, VA – While many Americans will be firing up barbeques and attending family picnics this weekend to celebrate Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer also brings searching for ways to stay cool, refreshed, and adequately hydrated. But does the average American know how much water to consume to avoid dehydration?
To help individuals meet their personal hydration goals, the International Bottled Water Association has a hydration calculator available on its website at https://bottledwater.org. This calculator is an interactive tool based on expert resources and the most current findings of the National Academy of Sciences, as reported in its February 2004 report, "Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate." IBWA's Hydration Calculator provides helpful suggestions about an individual's total fluid intake derived from both beverages and food, and other information about water's vital role in refreshment, health and hydration.
While adequate hydration is important for all individuals, water is an excellent choice for consumers who wish to avoid or moderate calories, caffeine, sugar or the various ingredients found in other beverages. Also, bottled water is an excellent convenience beverage choice for people on the go.
Bottled water is fully regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a packaged food product. Like all food products, bottled water is subject to FDA's extensive food safety and labeling requirements. In addition to federal and state regulations for bottled water, members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) must adhere to even stricter measures through the IBWA Bottled Water Model Code of Practice, which are standards that raise the bar for bottled water quality.
To use the IBWA Hydration Calculator, visit https://bottledwater.org/public/hydratio_main.htm.
