Define the Requirements for Water?
The body has no provision for water storage; therefore the amount of water lost every 24 hours must be replaced to maintain health and body efficiency. The precise need for water depends on a person's body weight and lifestyle. The requirements in relation to body weight varies in a general way with age; the younger the individual, the greater his/her requirements for water per unit body weight. Under ordinary circumstances, a reasonable allowance based on recommended energy intake is 1.0 ml / Kcal for adults and 1.5 ml / Kcal for infants. This translates into: - 35 ml/ kg in adults - 50 - 60 ml/ kg in children - 150 ml / kg in infants have an increased need for water because of the limited capacity of their kidneys to handle the renal solute load, their higher percentage of body water and large surface area per unit of body weight. Exercise, high temperature, low humidity, high altitude and a high fibre diet increase fluid needs. Alcoholic beverages and those containing caffeine such as coffee, tea and sodas, however, are not good substitutes for water; both alcohol and caffeine act as diuretics, causing the body to lose fluids. What are the consequences of disturbances in fluid balance?