PRE-SCHOOL HYDRATION PROJECT TACKLES FUTURE RISKS OF OBESITY

Maidstone Local Children's Services Partnership launches 'We Love Water' project with Water Wellpoint* to encourage hydration in Pre-schools

Research has identified that hydration of Pre-school age children plays a crucial role in reducing the likelihood of obesity in later years** as well as enhancing concentration, changing behaviours and reducing fatigue and headaches.  However, although there is a specific legal requirement by OFSTED for fresh drinking water to be available at all times, a huge challenge for Pre-school groups is the access to this in facilities that are often used for a number of other purposes, such as village halls, community centres, etc. 

Tackling this challenge is an exciting new initiative that echoes the efforts of Jamie Oliver's School Dinners campaign, focusing on hydration in Pre-school groups.  Led by Maidstone 2 Local Children's Services Partnership, the initiative is being brought to life by Kent-based wellbeing business, Water Wellpoint. 

Hilary Macdonald, Partnership Manager of Maidstone 2 Local Children's Services Partnership confirmed the importance of the scheme, which was launched in April 2009:  "Children are vulnerable to dehydration because their thirst mechanism is immature.  Teaching them to learn to drink water as a life skill is, therefore, crucial and it is tremendously exciting to be working with Water Wellpoint to be able to bring this idea to life, taking the scheme to Pre-school Settings right across Maidstone 2."

As part of the 'We Love Water' Project every participating Pre-school is being given a Water Wellpoint Coolcask (Hydration Station), which offers compact and convenient access to fresh, cold drinking water. "So many Pre-school groups have to pack away all their equipment at the end of each session", continued Hilary Macdonald. "This makes it incredibly difficult to provide easy access to drinking water."  The Coolcask tackles the problem because the water is contained in a 'bag-in-a-box', making it easy to replace and removing the stress of sourcing bottles of water for the Practitioners.

Water bottles, which are non-spill, dishwasher safe and have a child-friendly mouthpiece, are also provided for each child to help encourage good hydration, and pee charts are included as a way to help the children understand about their adequate hydration. 

To make the whole process fun, each child is given a 'We Love Water' sticker every time their water bottle is empty, providing a visible means of monitoring water intake and a motivation for drinking all the water.  They are also given fun practical learning ideas to take part in at Pre-school and Practitioners and parents are provided with hydration information, including activity sheets to take home.  

Since the roll-out of the 'We Love Water' Project in mid April 2009, 39 out of the 41 pre-schools approached by Maidstone 2 have adopted the scheme for the year.   "The take up of this initiative has been incredibly encouraging", confirmed Zenia Ford, Specialist Teacher Pre-school SEN working within the Maidstone 2 Children's Partnership. 

Almost all the pre-schools we have contacted have begun to see the benefits - both in terms of children's behaviour and in terms of the convenience of the Coolcasks for easy access to drinking water.  The fact that the material provided by Water Wellpoint will help those running Pre-school groups to spot the signs of mild dehydration - drowsiness; lack of concentration; poor behaviour - is immensely beneficial in itself.  Maidstone 2 Local Children's Services Partnership is the first group in Kent to take the scheme forward, however we have already heard from some Pre-schools in Maidstone 1 who are interested in taking part.

Water Wellpoint has been instrumental in making the initiative work, helping Practitioners and parents get involved, as well as providing practical support in terms of the Coolcask and water bottles. Hydration in Pre-schools is essential in helping children perform to the best of their ability and lead healthy lives and we look forward to working further with the company to expand the initiative into more Pre-schools in the area. We will also be working with the Pre-schools that have signed up to the scheme to monitor any changes in their children over a period of time.

"Water is one of the most important nutrients for children, helping with digestion and concentration, as well as learning and memory" concluded Ben McGannan, Managing Director, Water Wellpoint. "With this project we are combining our expertise with the innovation of the Coolcask, with our research knowledge on the benefits of hydration for Pre-school children.  Our goal is to help Pre-schools provide children with access to fresh, cool drinking water throughout the day which we believe is an important step in securing the future health and wellbeing of the next generation." 

 
Key Facts
• A child's brain consists of more than 80% water
• Children's bones can have up to 40% more water content than adult's and the spinal column is particularly reliant on the hydraulic properties of water stored in the discs
• Just 2% dehydration will cause a 20% reduction in performance in physical, mental and cognitive activities
• Dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger
• Water is essential for healthy metabolism in children
• Water helps to eliminate toxins from the body
• Water is one of the most important nutrients for children
• Children should drink little and often

* Wellpoint is a registered trademark solely owned by the Wellpoint Group Limited
***Beverage Intake Amount Pre-school Children and Its Effect on Weight Status, Paediatrics, 2006,118, e1010-e1018

For further press information please contact the Water Wellpoint Press Office at HSL:
Maddy Roles/Louise Fowler/Wendy Harrison - 020 8977 9132
louise@harrisonsadler.com