In this edition of Short Talks From the Hill, a podcast from the University of Arkansas, Stavros Kavouras, professor in the College of Education and Health Professions and director of the Hydration Science Lab, explains that there is no perfect answer to the frequently debated question of how much water we should be drinking.

"Our daily needs for water vary depending on some important factors," Kavouras says in the podcast. "One of them is weather, how warm is the weather. … The other factor, which is also very important, is physical activity."

Still, considering these variables — and the fact that humans get some water through food — Kavouras says we probably should be drinking more. He refers to data indicating that roughly half of American children are under-hydrated.

"One in four children in America never drink water," he says.

These habits can lead to serious health problems. Kavouras explains recent findings showing low water intake can have a negative effect on our ability to regulate blood glucose, which contributes to the onset of diabetes. 

To learn more about Kavouras' research, including a simple test to tell whether you're under-hydrated, go to ResearchFrontiers.uark.edu, the home of research news at the University of Arkansas. Listeners can also find Short Talks From the Hill podcasts under the "Local & Podcast" link at KUAF.com.

Short Talks From the Hill highlights research and scholarly work at the University of Arkansas. Each segment features a university researcher discussing his or her work. For more information and additional podcasts, click on the Multimedia link at ResearchFrontiers.uark.edu.