Effects of Smart Bottles on Water Consumption and Health Status of College Students

Abstract

Hydration is important to a human body because it helps regulate body temperature, protect spinal cord, joints and other sensitive tissues, aid in the digestive system, remove body waste, and keep the brain function optimally. Despite the health benefits, most children and adults do not consume the recommended amount of water daily. Previous research suggested that interventions with a combination of educational/behavioral strategies and legislative/environmental prompts produced the best results to promote water intake. Existing in this technology-driven era, the invention of smart devices has changed the way we live. One type of devices, smart bottles, has been proved to be acceptable tools to monitor and promote water intake volume among kidney stone patients and senior citizens. This research aimed to examine the effects of smart bottles on college students’ water consumption and health status. Daily water intake for 35 days and urine samples were collected from two groups of students enrolled in a walking class at a regional university in southeastern United States. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t test, and binary logistic regression. Results revealed that the bottle’s smart features did not prompt or motivate the college students to drink more water and those who received the smart bottles did not show healthier results in urinalysis tests. A plausible explanation of the results can be caused by the lifestyle of typical college students who are more likely to consume beverages other than water because of personal preference and social influence.