Identifying Psychosocial Factors Influencing Fluid Intake in Underhydrated College Students to Inform a Targeted Intervention
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Maintaining adequate hydration is essential for overall health and cognitive function, yet many college students fail to meet daily fluid intake recommendations. Thus, it is imperative to identify appropriate intervention strategies to improve fluid intake in this population.
This study aimed to recruit underhydrated college students for a fluid intake intervention and to identify the primary factors influencing fluid consumption in this population.
Twenty-three participants (11 females) (mean ±SD; age, 22.9 ± 2.1 y; height, 163.6 ± 35.9cm; weight, 71.5 ± 14.2 kg; body fat, 26.0 ± 9.0%) completed the study. To qualify, males reported consuming Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAB) survey to evaluate psychosocial factors contributing to fluid intake. Participants collected 24-hour urine samples for three consecutive days to assess hydration as urinary specific gravity, urinary osmolality, urine color, and urine volume.
Mean hydration biomarkers indicated our participants were underhydrated (mean ± SD; urine volume 1.1209 ± 0.5796L, urine standard gravity (USG) 1.018 ± 0.006, urine color 3.8 ± 1.4) Comparing the average urine osmolality of our sample to the standard cutoff for health of 500mOsm*kg-1 yielded a significantly greater urine osmolality in our sample (671.519 ± 234.7481; t(20) = 3.3483, and p = 0.0016). Of the components of the KAB, participants scored lowest on the fluid behavior index at 44.3%, hydration knowledge scale scored at 59.1%, and hydration facilitator and barriers averaged 7.8 for physical barriers, 8.4 for lack of effort, 13 for social facilitators, and 11.7 for monitoring facilitators.
Our study thus far has been effective at recruiting underhydrated college students who would seek to benefit from a fluid intake intervention. Subsequent analyses will determine the efficacy of a specific fluid intake intervention on these hydration biomarkers, specifically targeting hydration monitoring.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS - Exercise Science and Sport Management
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Mitchell E Zaplatosch
Identifying Psychosocial Factors Influencing Fluid Intake in Underhydrated College Students to Inform a Targeted Intervention
Maintaining adequate hydration is essential for overall health and cognitive function, yet many college students fail to meet daily fluid intake recommendations. Thus, it is imperative to identify appropriate intervention strategies to improve fluid intake in this population.
This study aimed to recruit underhydrated college students for a fluid intake intervention and to identify the primary factors influencing fluid consumption in this population.
Twenty-three participants (11 females) (mean ±SD; age, 22.9 ± 2.1 y; height, 163.6 ± 35.9cm; weight, 71.5 ± 14.2 kg; body fat, 26.0 ± 9.0%) completed the study. To qualify, males reported consuming Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAB) survey to evaluate psychosocial factors contributing to fluid intake. Participants collected 24-hour urine samples for three consecutive days to assess hydration as urinary specific gravity, urinary osmolality, urine color, and urine volume.
Mean hydration biomarkers indicated our participants were underhydrated (mean ± SD; urine volume 1.1209 ± 0.5796L, urine standard gravity (USG) 1.018 ± 0.006, urine color 3.8 ± 1.4) Comparing the average urine osmolality of our sample to the standard cutoff for health of 500mOsm*kg-1 yielded a significantly greater urine osmolality in our sample (671.519 ± 234.7481; t(20) = 3.3483, and p = 0.0016). Of the components of the KAB, participants scored lowest on the fluid behavior index at 44.3%, hydration knowledge scale scored at 59.1%, and hydration facilitator and barriers averaged 7.8 for physical barriers, 8.4 for lack of effort, 13 for social facilitators, and 11.7 for monitoring facilitators.
Our study thus far has been effective at recruiting underhydrated college students who would seek to benefit from a fluid intake intervention. Subsequent analyses will determine the efficacy of a specific fluid intake intervention on these hydration biomarkers, specifically targeting hydration monitoring.