EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION ON THE BODY

Nicole Patterson & Emily Faucher

Course # 79594
Instructor: Jessica Skipper
Effects of Dehydration on the Body

Introduction

Effects of Dehydration

According to Mayo Clinic, dehydration is defined as what occurs when you use or lose
more fluid than you take in, and your body does not have enough water or other fluids to carry
out its normal functions ("Dehydration"). Dehydration is something that impacts a large amount
of todays students. Students may not even know they are dehydrated; but it still has a large
impact on their cognitive functions, their health, and much more. It is found that there is a direct
link between dehydration and lessened cognitive function, as well as worse health implications
for children and students. Studies also show that hydration can help improve cognitive
performance, verbal performance, memory, and overall health of children and students if
maintained properly. Yet, hydration is not something schools put particular notice on. In fact,
most schools have no hydration curriculum and do not focus on students hydration at all.
Madison Heights Elementary school needs to focus on the the importance of the effects
of hydration and dehydration in students. Heights is located in Phoenix, Arizona where a need
for hydration is high due to the high temperatures that occur all across the Valley. Dehydration in
Arizona is more common than one would like to think due to the hot temperatures that occur
throughout most of the year. Students and children at Heights run around all day on the
playground, in gym, during recess, before and after school, and basically all the time. It is
important for these children to understand how to stay hydrated and why it is so important.
Students need to know the effects dehydration can have on their minds and bodies, and be well
prepared to keep themselves fully hydrated throughout the year. Madison Heights needs a
dehydration prevention program within their classrooms, school, and community so that parents,
teachers, administrators, and especially students can understand the effects of dehydration and
work towards keeping themselves and each other hydrated.

Review of Current Literature

Effects of Dehydration

Bar-David (2009) emphasizes that dehydration is common in school-aged children and

can adversely affect childrens cognitive function. In the Journal of Human Nutrition and
Dietetics, Bar-David studies the voluntary dehydration of 429 students who reside in a hot arid
environment. He determined their levels of dehydration using urine osmolality. In this study,
children were given absolutely no instructions on how to or when to drink water and their urine
samples were taken each day at noon for one full week in mid June 2000. The study found that
a high proportion of children who reside in a hot and arid environment were found to be in a
state of moderate to severe dehydration (9 Bar-David,Y., 2009). Bar-David also determined that
educational intervention programmes promoting water intake should start in early childhood
and continue throughout life (9 Bar-David,Y., 2009). This study is just one of many that shows
that children, especially those residing in hot environments (such as Arizona), need to be taught
about water intake and how to keep themselves hydrated.
Bar-David also conducted another study concerning the effects of voluntary dehydration
of students, but this time focusing on the cognitive functions of students as related to water
intake. In this study 68 elementary school students were left to their own accord on water intake,
their urine osmolality was then taken in the morning and afternoon during mid June, and finally
they were then given cognitive tests. The results of this study found that 32 students were
dehydrated in the morning and a students morning dehydration did relate to their afternoon
dehydration (Effect of Voluntary, 2005). When it came to the cognitive tests there was a positive
trend in 4 out of 5 tests that hydrated children scored better on a cognitive test (Effect of
Voluntary, 2005). These studies both show the need for students to learn more about staying
hydrated. Students living in a hot arid environment, such as that of Arizona, are at a constant

Effects of Dehydration

threat of dehydration. Dehydration not only affects their health, but as shown in the study above
can have a large effect on a students cognitive abilities as well.
David Benton focused on the cognitive effects of water intake. In Bentons study, four
intervention studies were conducted on school aged children of 7 to 9 years old. Within these
studies children, eating and drinking as normal, have been tested on occasions when they have
and not have consumed a drink. After a drink both memory and attention have been found to be
improved (8 Benton, D., 2011). Benton found that when thirst is high, consuming water can
have a positive effect on attention and that drinking supplementary water at school is beneficial
for both short term memory and verbal performance (8 Benton, D., 2011). This study supports
that drinking water can change your memory and attention.
Roberta Faddas study seemed to show the same cognitive correlation as Bentons.
Faddas study, Effects of drinking supplementary water at school on cognitive performance in
children, studied 168 school aged children (9 to 11 years old) and were divided into groups: one
that received water supplementation and a control group, both were given the same cognitive
tests (2012). The study found that there is a beneficial effect of drinking supplementary water at
school on short-term memory (Fadda, R., 2012). as well as finding that there was a positive
correlation between dehydration and performance in the verbal analogy task (Fadda, R., 2012).
Both of these studies support the same conclusion; that dehydration can have a negative effect on
cognitive performance and supplementary water can provide a positive effect.
H. Gibson emphasized that water is extremely essential for health. In Nutrition Bulletin
Gibson-Moore wrote Improving Hydration in Children: A Sensible Guide. Within this guide
Gibson-Moore focused on how even mild dehydration can cause negative side effects (GibsonMoore,H., 2013). In this guide is is discussed how most children are arriving at school with a

Effects of Dehydration

hydration deficit, and once they arrive, they are not drinking enough fluid throughout the day to
maintain adequate hydration levels, thus potentially affecting their performance at school
(Gibson-Moore,H., 2013). Gibson-Moore focuses on the simple ways parents, school
professionals, and others can help to keep children hydrated. He provides a resource that makes
keeping children hydrated simple. His guide also discusses how students can have impaired
cognitive function from dehydration and how this can affect students performance in school
(Gibson-Moore,H., 2013). Gibson-Moores guide is just further proof that maintaining childrens
hydration levels is not difficult and can lead to a large impact on their school performance and,
again, their cognitive function.
Matthew J. Kemptons article Dehydration Affects Brain Structure and Function in
Healthy Adolescents is an important reminder that dehydration can have a large impact on a
childs brain. Kemptons article focuses on how it has been observed that dehydration causes
shrinkage of brain tissue (Kempton,Matthew J., 2011). 10 otherwise healthy adolescents were
studied using magnetic resonance imaging (2011) that focused on the adolescents brain and the
effect dehydration had on it. It was found that dehydration led to an increase in fronto-parietal
blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response during an executive function task
(Kempton,Matthew J., 2011), which suggests an inefficient use of brain metabolic activity
following dehydration (Kempton,Matthew J., 2011); essentially adolescents were not able to
use their brains as well when dehydrated. This study led to the understanding that dehydration
can have a large impact on students brains and can lead to things such as an increase in
ventricular volume and a negative effect on planning and visuo-spatial processing
(Kempton,Matthew J., 2011).

Synthesis of Current Literature

Effects of Dehydration

The majority of the articles presented had one underlying theme: hydration has an effect
on the wellbeing of the human body including your cognitive performance (Bar-David,Y.,2009).
If our body is not healthy, then our mind is not healthy. When you are not hydrated your body
begins to have a low immune system, which can cause students to miss school from being sick as
well as not concentrate in class or focus. Understanding the effects of hydration and the impact
that it has on your body influences your health as a whole. When people drink more water they
have less health problems and miss less school or work (Gibson-Moore,H., 2013). When people
drink more water they have a higher cognitive performance.
Teachers and schools can impact how students look at health and dehydration. Educating
students on these very important topics is the first step in creating a healthier environment and
classroom. This can be done most effectively by bringing in community and family involvement
will encourage citizens to become more hydrated in their lives.
This correlates to the improvement plan for dehydration that is being discussed for
Madison Heights Elementary as it shows the effects dehydration can lead to on a students brain
and health. This shows that students, parents, educators, and others who have a say in a students
hydration need to understand these effects so they are more motivated to help children stay
hydrated. There are many possibilities for how to keep students hydrated and it is important to
implement these with schools, such as Madison Heights and the dehydration improvement plan
discussed in this paper.
Practical Implications
In the classroom, as teachers we can teach the students about dehydration so they are
informed about the effects dehydration has the body and how drinking water is so important to
their health. Teacher knowledge of students is very important in finding out how much students

Effects of Dehydration

know and drink water in the classroom. The teacher will give the students a survey and see how
much water they drink a day. The teacher will also be aware and keep tally of how often the
students get a drink of water in the classroom. The teacher will teach a mini lesson about the
effects that dehydration has on the body, so the students are aware of the consequences as well
as what they can do to stay hydrated throughout their day.
As a classroom, the teacher will also have the students create their own drinking logs to
make sure they drink the correct amount each day. This creates student engagement by
challenging them to drink the correct amount. The teacher will also send home newsletters that
explain the benefits of water and how important it is for the students to drink water during the
day as well as all the time. During parent teacher conferences the teacher will go over what was
taught during the mini lesson and how they are learning about staying hydrated in the classroom.
The teacher will explain how a newsletter went home in case they did not see it, and show how
the newsletter explains the negative and positives about staying hydrated and dehydration.
A way to get students excited about drinking water all of the time could be to get school
themed water bottles that they can purchased. The money the school gets from the sales of the
water bottles can be used for the school. There will be a celebration or assembly to see which
grade wins. Classes will create different posters to put around their school to remind student to
drink water and how important it is to drink water. As a whole school, different grade levels will
compete with each other on how much they water they drink as a grade. The school will also
have a fundraiser on getting water bottles for the school so students have water bottles if needed
in the classroom. This would make it easier for students to get water instead of going to the water
fountain. The classroom who collects the most water bottles could receive some sort of prize.

Effects of Dehydration

As a community, the school could ask different stores around their school to donate water
bottles to their school. They can also send out different fliers to inform families and the
community how important drinking water is. The school could have a booth to collect water
bottles during different festivals at the school that the community comes to.
Conclusion
Understanding that dehydration, a healthy body, and your cognitive performance go hand
in hand, this is important to inform our future students as well as community. Dehydration needs
to be considered a more vital piece of the education system. This can be done through different
mini lessons throughout the year to inform students the effect that dehydration has on the body
both positive and negative. Additionally, schools implementing different hydration events
throughout the school, for example the school wide hydration event. Making sure that our
parents and community are also aware of the effects can help have more of an impact on the
students when they are not in school as well. Students will be excited to continue to drink water
and would pick water over the high sugar drinks offered to them out of school. Students will then
begin to also inform others on the importance to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Dehydration is having more of an effect on students as well as anyone especially since we
live in Arizona. Every public school needs to implement being hydrated throughout the day and
informing student that it just doesnt stop at school. The importance of educating children on
dehydration and the practice of always being hydrated should be held to the same standards as
math and English. Making sure the students have water breaks in the classroom throughout the
day can help all the students remember to drink water as well. This well help with the decrease
amount of students being dehydrated. Also, if the classroom does the water logs, this can help the
students stay motivated to drink plenty of water. The perfect ending to my event if this was

Effects of Dehydration

implement would be a less absent rate due to students being ill and missing the school (2013).
The less students are dehydrated the less they lose valuable class time from being ill and missing
school.

Effects of Dehydration

References
Bar-David, Y. (2009). Voluntary dehydration among elementary school children residing in a hot
arid environment. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 22(5), 455; 455-460; 460.
Benton, D. (2011). Dehydration influences mood and cognition: A plausible hypothesis?
Nutrients, 3(12), 555; 555-573; 573.
Dehydration. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/dehydration/basics/definition/con-20030056
Fadda, R., Rapinett, G., Grathwohl, D., Parisi, M., Fanari, R., Calo, C. M., & Schmitt, J. (2012).
Effects of drinking supplementary water at school on cognitive performance in children.
Appetite, 59(3), 730-737. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.07.005 [doi]
Gibson-Moore, H. (2013). Improving hydration in children: A sensible guide. Nutrition Bulletin,
38(2), 236.
Kempton, M. J. (2011). Dehydration affects brain structure and function in healthy adolescents.
Human Brain Mapping, 32(1), 71; 71-79; 79.
The effect of voluntary dehydration on cognitive functions of elementary school children.
(2005). Acta Pdiatrica (Oslo), 94(11), 1667-1673.

Effects of Dehydration

10

Rubric
Criteria
with
Professional
Standards
Referenced
Outline
Outline
Turned
In(Already
submitted for
points)

5
Exemplary
(97
100%)

4
Highly
Proficie
nt
(93
96%)

3
Proficient
(83 92%)

2
Approachi
ng
Proficient
(73 82%)

1
Unsatisfactory
(72%
and below)

Brief
outline
with at
least 5
original
peer
reviewe
d
referenc
es
written
in APA
format
is
submitt
ed.

Brief
outline
with some
references
but not 5
original
peer
reviewed
references
written in
APA
format are
submitted.

Brief
outline
with one or
no
references
submitted.

No outline
was
submitted.

Introdu
ction is
fully
develop
ed with
all
topics
introduc
ed.

Introductio
n is
addressed
well,
somewhat
organized
and created
a plan for
the paper

Introductio
n is
addressed
adequately.

Introduction
is omitted or
was
disorganized
and did not
create a plan
for the paper.

10 Points

Logical,
detailed
outline with
at least 5
original
peer
reviewed
references
written in
APA format
is
submitted
with a
technology
choice
selected to
embed the
assignment.
5 x 2=10
points

Introductio
n

10 Points

Introduction
to the topic
and overview
(In your
purpose
statement
also
introduce all
subtopics)

Introductio
n is fully
developed,
well
organized,
introduces
all topics,
created a
plan for the

Effects of Dehydration

InTASC 1c,k;
5k; 9f; 10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC9
K4;CC9S8

Literature
Review
Adequacy of
Knowledge
(includes 5
peer
reviewed
original
research
articles
references)
InTASC 1c,k;
5k; 9f; 10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC9
K4;CC9S8

11

paper and
invites the
reader to
read
further.
5 x 2=10
points

15 Points
1.
Literature
review
highlights
major
issues in the
area.
2. Through
use of a
range of
references
to support
key issues.
3.
Description
of
important
studies
establishes
context for
the reader.
4. Includes
more than 5
informative
references.
5 x 3=15
points

1.
Literatu
re
review
address
es
major
issues in
the
area.
2.
Thorou
gh use
of a
range of
referenc
es to
support
key
issues.
3.
Includes
descript
ions of
importa
nt
studies
to
provide
context

1.
Literature
review may
address
major
issues, but
issues may
not be
supported
with expert
knowledge.
2. Good use
of
references,
but
additional
references
may have
strengthene
d the
paper.
3. Includes
4
references.

1.
Literature
review does
not address
the major
issues in
the area;
the level of
support for
the issues is
not
adequate.
2. Includes
3
references.

1. Literature
review does
not have the
depth of
knowledge
appropriate to
this upper
level course.
2. Includes
less than 2
references.

Effects of Dehydration

12
for the
reader.
4.
Includes
5 or
more
referenc
es.

Synthesis of
Information
Synthesis of
Information
(what did the
articles
collectively
say about the
topic? Which
authors had
similar and
different
findings?)
InTASC 1c,k;
5k; 9f; 10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC9
K4;CC9S8

15 Points
1. Studies
covering
the same
topic
synthesize
related
research.
2.
Described
similar or
differing
and
detailed
themes
throughout
the articles
3.
Demonstrat
e
thoroughly
how your
research
and the
data
collected
supports
your stance
on why
your
healthy and
active

Studies
coverin
g the
same
topic
are
summar
ized and
integrat
ed
level
work.

Informatio
n is
presented
study-bystudy
rather than
summarize
d by topic.
2.
Described
similar or
differing
themes
throughout
the articles
which were
not detailed
3.
Somewhat
emonstrate
d how your
research
and the
data
collected
supports
your stance
on why
your
healthy and
active

The
literature
review is a
mixed set
of ideas
without a
particular
focus.

The literature
review does
not
demonstrate a
particular
focus and
lacks ideas
based on the
subject
chosen.
2. Described
similar or
differing
themes
throughout
the articles,
however they
were not
detailed
3. Did not
demonstrate
how your
research and
the data
collected
supports your
stance on why
your healthy
and active
school plan is
not only

Effects of Dehydration

13

school plan
is not only
important
for hope
and
engagement
at your
school and
in your
community,
but ties to
academic
success in
your
classroom
as well.

school plan
is not only
important
for hope
and
engagemen
t at your
school and
in your
community,
but ties to
academic
success in
your
classroom
as well.

important for
hope and
engagement at
your school
and in your
community,
but ties to
academic
success in
your
classroom as
well.

5 x 3=15
points
Practical
Implications
and
Technology
infusion

30 Points

Practical
Implications
(Discuss how
the findings
can or will
later be
applied to
your teaching
setting)
InTASC 1c,k;
5k; 9f; 10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC9
K4;CC9S8

1. Practical
implication
s of your
event
details
including
your
teaching
level and in
a particular
setting are
discussed
thoroughly.
A minimum
of 6 topics
are applied.
2. Contains
thorough
discussion

1.
Pratical
implicat
ions are
discusse
d but
not
related
to a
particul
ar
teaching
setting
or topic
or
certain
details
are
missing.

1. Pratical
implication
s are
discussed
but not at a
particularl
y level or in
a
particular
setting and
many
details of
your event
are
missing.
2.
Contained
at least 4-5
component

1. Practical
implication
s are not
thoroughly
discussed
and only a
few details
of the event
are present

1. Practical
implications
are not
discussed and
no details of
the event are
present.
2. Contained 3
or fewer
components of
a
comprehensiv
e school
program
3. Contains
little
discussion on
which

Effects of Dehydration
on how
each of the
6
program/co
mponents
that are in
place are
organized,
conducted,
and
overseen or
a detailed
plan about
how each
component
can be
added.
3. All
programs/c
omponents
implemente
d include
discussion
on
modificatio
ns for those
with
disabilities.
4.
Contained
a detailed
description
of a special
event that
promotes a
healthy and
active
school
environmen
t
5.
Contained
discussion

14
s of a
comprehen
sive school
program;
however,
some of the
needed
detail is
missing.
3. Contains
thorough
discussion
on how
most of the
program/co
mponent
that are in
place are
organized,
conducted,
and
overseen or
a detailed
plan about
how the
component
s can be
added.
4. Most
programs/c
omponents
implemente
d include
discussion
on
modificatio
ns for those
with
disabilities.
5.
Contained
a somewhat
detailed

programs/com
ponents are
currently in
place
4. Contains
little
discussion on
how each
program/com
ponent is
organized,
conducted,
and overseen
and little
detail about
how the
components
can be added.
5. Few
programs/com
ponents
implemented
include
discussion on
modifications
for those with
disabilities.
6. Contained
little detail on
a special event
that promotes
a healthy and
active school
environment
7. Contained
little
discussion on
a specific
health
behavior
highlighted by
the special

Effects of Dehydration
on a
specific
health
behavior
highlighted
by the
special
event
6. Specific
target
grade level
was
identified
and was
appropriate
for students
of that age
7.
Contained
discussion
on how to
involve the
entire
school in
the event
8.
Embeding
Technology
as a
platform to
enhance
your
proposal
was used
with an
approved
application
from your
instructor
5 x 6=30
points

15
description
of a special
event that
promotes a
healthy and
active
school
environme
nt
6.
Contained
some
discussion
on a
specific
health
behavior
highlighted
by the
event
7. Specific
target
grade level
was
somewhat
identified
and was
appropriat
e for
students of
that age
8.
Contained
some
discussion
on how to
involve the
entire
school in
the event
9.
Technology

event
8. Specific
target grade
level was not
identified
and/or not
appropriate
for students of
that age
9. Contained
little
discussion on
how to involve
the entire
school in the
event
9. Technology
infusion was
not used.

Effects of Dehydration

16
infusion
was used
but it did
not
enhance
the
proposal

Conclusion

10 Points

Conclusion
ITASC 1c,k;
5k; 9f; 10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC9
K4;CC9S8

Major
issues
support
and
establish
conclusions.

Writing and
Referencing
Style

10 Points

First Draft of
all sections
submitted
with changes
made
integrating
instructor
comments
from the
outline

Integration

The
major
issues
are
summar
ized
under
conclusi
ons.

The
conclusions
are not
complete.

Provides
opinions,
but not a
summary
of findings.

No
conclusions
are included.

Detailed
draft of all
sections of
the paper
with
appropriate
content,
headers,
writing
style, a
choice of
technology
to embed
the
assignment
and
references
in APA 6.0
style.

Detailed
draft of
ALL
sections
with
some
errors
in
content
covered,
heading
s,
writing
style
and/or
refernce
s in APA
6.0
style.

Detailed
draft of
MOST
sections
with some
errors in
content
covered,
headings,
writing
style and/or
refernces in
APA 6.0
style.

Missing
sections or
paper has
regular
errors
across
content
covered,
headings,
writing
style
and/or
refernces
in APA 6.0
style.

Incomplete
(missing half
of the
requirements)
or completely
missing paper.

All

Most

Some

Very few

No comments

5 x 2=10
points

Effects of Dehydration

17

of instructor
comments
from first
draft

comments
from
instructor
integrated
into final
version. All
were
highlighted
in yellow

commen
ts from
instruct
or
integrat
ed into
final
version.
All were
highligh
ted in
yellow

comments
from
instructor
integrated
into final
version.
Most were
highlighted
in yellow

comments
from
instructor
integrated
into final
version.
Most were
highlighted
in yellow

from
instructor
integrated
into final
version. The
changes were
not
highlighted

Writing and
referencing
style

1. Cover
page
included,
proper
spelling and
grammar,
all
references
in APA 6.0
style. Paper
was
appropriate
length (at
least 5
pages)

1. Cover
page
include
d, few
gramma
tical
errors
and
misspell
ings, all
referenc
es in
APA 6.0
style.

1. Cover
page
included,
some
grammatic
al errors
and
misspelling
s, some
errors in
referencing
style APA
6.0.

1. Cover
page not
included,
many
grammatic
al errors
and
misspelling
s, some
errors in
referencing
style APA
6.0.

1. Cover page
not included,
major
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
many errors
in referencing
style APA 6.0.

2. Paper
was too
short for
the topic
(3-4 pages)

2. Paper
was too
short for
the topic
(1-2 pages)

2. The file
document
name
contains
Lastname.fi
rstname.ass
ignment#.c
ourse#
3. This
rubric was
added to
the last
page of the
document
submitted

2. Paper
was
appropr
iate
length
(at least
5 pages)

3. The file
name
somewhat
contains
the
Lastname.f
irstname.as
signment#.
course#
4. This
rubric was
added but

2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (1-2
pages)
3. The file
document
name does not
contain the
Lastname.firs
tname.assign
ment#.course#
4. This rubric
was not added
to the
document
submitted
5. Many
sentences are
not clear and
underdevelop

Effects of Dehydration
4. All
sentences
are clear
and well
developed
5. Proposals
and events
are
appropriate
length with
standard
margins,
font, and
size of text

18
not at the
end of the
document
submitted
5. Most
sentences
are clear
and well
developed
6.
Proposals
and events
are mostly
appropriat
e length
with
standard
margins,
font, and
size of text

ed
6. Proposals
and events are
not of
appropriate
length with
larger than
standard
margins, font
and size of
text