Session F4: Room 397

Tuesday AM

FORUM: Hydration: Fluids for life

Moderator(s):R. S. Applebaum, Coca-Cola Co.
Panelist(s):B. Wilk, McMaster Univ. and McMaster Children's Hospital
A. Grandjean, Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center
R. Chernoff, Univ. of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Time: 9:00 AM
Water is an essential nutrient and is the largest single constituent of the human body. The numerous factors that affect water requirements: environmental factors, dietary factors, and pathophysiologic factors will be reviewed, and the impact of physical activity will be specifically covered. This forum will strive to cover the lifecycle and feature speakers with the latest knowledge on fluid needs of sedentary and active young people, fluid and hydration in older adults/the elderly, and the fluid needs of healthy adults. For children and young people, talking points will include fluid needs, maintaining fluid homeostasis, and a discussion of possible ways of enhancing thirst during exercise in the heat to prevent dehydration. For older adults and the elderly, discussion will cover the epidemiology of dehydration among the elderly, effects of aging that make the elderly susceptible to dehydration, and meeting the fluid needs of the elderly in healthy conditions, chronic conditions, and in long-term care. For healthy adults, discussion will include factors that affect fluid requirements and beverage consumption, and will feature the latest guidelines and recommendations on adequate hydration. This forum is timely due to the recently released Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. In addition, research on the relationship of fluid intake and the incidence of specific diseases is a relatively new area of study. A brief review of the fluid-disease relationship will be presented. Dr. Bob Brackett, Director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) will serve as one of the moderators of this forum.

2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana