Hydration status in Czech elderly adults: Gender and physical activity differences

Background: Dehydration is the most common fluid and electrolyte problem among elderly people. The elderly leading an active lifestyle may be a risk group vulnerable to dehydration. Objective: The goals of the study were: to assess hydration status and the fluid intake, to determine gender differences in hydration status and fluid intake, and to determine the role of physical activity on hydration status in free-living elderly people. Methods: The research sample included 105 participants aged 67.2 +/- 3.7 years (52% women) living independently in their own homes. Urine specific gravity (USG) was used to evaluate the hydration status (dehydration was defined as USG = 1.020 and serious dehydration as USG > 1.030). A 4-day food record was used to monitor fluid intake, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaires - Short Form was used to assess physical activity. Results: The prevalence of dehydration was 45.7% with a lower prevalence in women. Serious dehydration was prevalent in two participants. Average daily beverage intake was 1144.4 +/- 445.2 ml. There was no gender difference in total fluid intake. However, only 27.3% of women and 4.0% of men fulfilled the recommended daily fluid intake. Participants with moderate or high levels of physical activity had a better hydration status compared to their low-physical activity peers. Conclusions: These results indicate that almost half of elderly adults are dehydrated. The study suggests that being physically active can contribute to better fluid replenishment.