Hydration: A basic aspect in nutrition

During the 11^th European Nutrition Conference, organised by the Federation of European Nutrition Societies (FENS), which took place from the 26-29 October 2011 in Madrid, a couple of symposia addressed the topic of hydration.

Appropriate hydration of the body is a requirement for health and is essential for life itself. Water sustains the body’s many vital chemical reactions and maintains correct body functions. However, the important issue of hydration is often neglected, as nutrition advice predominantly focuses on food intake.

In this podcast interview, EUFIC spoke with Professor Ron Maughan and Dr. Patrícia Padrão, both experts who participated in the symposium "Hydration: A Basic Aspect in Nutrition". The podcast will explore the hydration status in different populations and how it influences health.

EUFIC also produced a podcast on the other hydration symposium at FENS, entitled "Hydration for Health".

About the speakers

Dr. Ron Maughan (University of Loughborough, UK)

Ron Maughan obtained a BSc (Physiology) and PhD from the University of Aberdeen, and held a lecturing position in Liverpool before returning to Aberdeen where he was based in the Medical School for almost 25 years. Professor Maughan is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and received that organisation's Citation Award in 2007. He is also a member of the Physiological Society, the Nutrition Society, the Biochemical Society, and the Medical Research Society. He chaired the Human and Exercise Physiology group of the Physiological Society for 10 years and was a member of the Council of that organisation. He is Chair of the Sports Nutrition group established by the IOC Medical Commission in 2002 and is chair of the Science Advisory Board of the European Hydration Institute. His research interests are in the physiology, biochemistry and nutrition of exercise performance, with an interest in both the basic science of exercise and the applied aspects that relate to health and to performance in sport.

Dr. Patrícia Padrão (University of Porto, Portugal)

Dr. Padrão holds a degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Porto and an M.Sc. degree in public health, also from the University of Porto. She is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto in Portugal. Furthermore, since 2008 she has been a member of the scientific board, Institute of Hydration and Health, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr Padrão’s research interests comprise exposure to risk factors for chronic diseases, hydration and nutrition epidemiology.