Health Solutions webinar series brings attention to ‘forgotten nutrient’

When it comes to nutrition, there are a lot of factors to consider. From probiotics to protein, we spend a lot of time worrying about the things we should be getting more of. But water isn’t always on that list.

College of Health Solutions Assistant Dean and Professor Stavros Kavouras has kicked off Water Talks, a new webinar series, to discuss hydration — an often neglected but critical area of nutrition.

“Hydration is an overlooked topic in nutrition in general. (Water) has been reported as the forgotten nutrient. When you look at MyPlate, MyPlate doesn’t have water or fluids or anything; it has only food,” Kavouras said.

During the summertime, Phoenix temperatures climb to the triple digits, reaching a high of 118 degrees Fahrenheit in July of this year. The importance of hydration education goes without saying when living in such a difficult environment, Kavouras says. And the stakes are raised when it comes to children and older adults.

Twenty-eight percent of children do not drink plain water in the United States. When it comes to adults, 83% of women over 65 and 95% of men over 65 do not meet the dietary guidelines for water consumption. This reveals a staggering gap in hydration education — one that Kavouras seeks to fill through Water Talks, using a scientific foundation to better understand the role of hydration in one’s daily life.

“One of the things that I like to say every time I talk about hydration is that drinking adequate amount of fluids might be the easiest thing you can do if you want to improve your health and your well-being, and it’s relatively easy behavior,” said Kavouras, founder of the Hydration Science Lab.

As one of the top 2% of the world’s most cited scientists over the past five years, Kavouras has positioned himself uniquely to bring together renowned scholars to speak on the topic of hydration.

The series invites top scholars to cover a variety of topics related to hydration — from weight control to exercise. Visiting scholars have the opportunity to network with faculty, staff, students and community members to educate others and learn more about the research ASU is conducting.

Kavouras hopes that bringing field experts together will offer a database of verified research on hydration to be used in the future.

“When I conceptualized the Water Talks, I thought, it’s an opportunity to organize the scientific community around the topic and have more conversations, more research and innovate in this area. But on the other side, I feel we’re doing a public service by providing high-quality, accurate information that consumers can also use to learn about hydration,” Kavouras said.

“At the end of the day, what is important for everyday people is whether it works, how it works and how can I implement it in my daily life.”

Attendees can receive free continuing education credit for three professional organizations: the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Athletic Trainer Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Water Talks are open to the public. The next webinar, “Water and Weight Control: What Is the Evidence?” with Virginia Tech Professor Brenda Davy, will take place on Aug. 13.