Approximately 60% of males and 40% of females do not meet current fluid intake recommendations, which is associated with adverse health consequences such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Newer technologies have been designed to promote fluid intake. "Smart Water Bottles" use mHealth technology to capture fluid intake behaviors automatically and provide cues to encourage fluid consumption. Studies using Smart Water Bottles have helped some individuals increase fluid intake to help reduce kidney stone formation. However, limited research has assessed the efficacy of this technology on improving fluid intake in college students. College is a time with the potential to form healthy habits that carry into adulthood. Previous work has also identified daily changes in morning urine color, thirst perception, and body mass, as simple, inexpensive indicators of daily fluctuations in water balance. Tracking changes in these metrics has the potential to provide participants with evidence of adequate or inadequate fluid consumption. Thus, the combination of prompting from a smart water bottle, as well as daily self-monitoring changes in hydration status, may encourage college students to increase daily fluid consumption.
Participants must report currently drinking less than the European Food Safety Authority Recommendations for fluid, as determined by an online pre-screening survey (<2.5 L per day for males; <2.0 L per day for females).
Has access to a cell phone which can download the app associated with the Smart Water Bottle.
Currently trying to gain or lose weight
Have had surgery of the digestive tract
Currently taking diuretics (e.g., Thiazide, Loop diuretics or potassium-sparing diuretics)
Currently taking centrally-acting medications (e.g., anesthetics, anticonvulsants, central nervous system stimulants/amphetamines, muscle relaxants)
Parallel
Smart Water Bottle
BehavioralParticipants in the intervention group will receive a bottle which measures participant fluid consumption. The bottle will be set to recommend 2.5L for male participants and 2.0L for female participants, consistent with fluid intake recommendations from the European Food Safety Authority for each sex. Participants will be prompted by the bottle (bottle will light up) when they are behind on fluid intake recommendations. Participants will use a validated urine color chart, 9 point Likert scale for thirst, and measure nude body mass on their own each morning. Participants will be informed that higher values for nude body mass and thirst, and lower values for nude body mass each morning may indicate they are less hydrated day-to-day.
Total Fluid Intake
Total Fluid Intake will be reported by participants for 3 days before and after the intervention using a validated fluid log. The average of 3-days of fluid recording will be used.
Changes in 24h urine osmolality
Urinary osmolality reflects the concentration of urine, with higher values indicative of worse hydration. Urine osmolality will be collected for 3 days at the start and end of the study, with the average of each 3 day period used for analyses.
Changes in 24h urine volume
Higher urine volume tends to correspond with greater fluid intake.
Change in urine color measured by validated urine color chart
A validated urine color will be used to rate urine samples. Higher values correspond with worse hydration.
Changes in calorie intake from dietary log.
The ASA-24 is an electronic diet log participants will use to record their diet at the start and end of the study.
Change in copeptin
Copeptin is a surrogate marker for vasopressin, a major fluid regulatory hormone which increases fluid conservation at the kidneys.
Change in urine specific gravity
Measures the density of the urine.
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