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Introduction: Appropriate hydration is essential for health. Water and other beverages are generally available to the population without limitations, but consumption patterns show variability across Europe.
Objective: To evaluate the liquid intake habits of a Mediterranean population (Spain- Portugal) and if they support the current EFSA policies and recommendations related to hydration.
Method: A record of fluid intake was obtained from 826 participants from both countries and compared with current hydration consensus.
Results: The average fluid intake was within the recommended: 1,600–2,000 mL/day (mean of 1800 mL/day). Portugal, in particular, had a lower intake (mean of 1365 mL/day), while Spain had a mean of 2,236 mL/day. Though water had a large contribution to total fluid intake (mean of 1,500 mL/day in Spain and 1,000 mL/day in Portugal), tap water consumption was higher than bottled water (23.3% vs. 6.1%, Spain). Milk and milk products (72.9%) and hot beverages (61.3%), in Spain, and hot beverages (5.9%) and milk (3%), in Portugal, follow water regarding the highest consumption. Only 8.5% of Spaniards and 2.5% of Portuguese knew hydration recommendations, and 7.5% and 9.6%, respectively, followed them.
Conclusions: The population studied does not ingest enough amount of liquid. The inconsistency and heterogeneity of data could be the result of a lack of a standard method for assessment of hydration status and insufficient knowledge regarding fluid intake recommendations.
