A survey on water consumption habits found fat people drink
more than skinny people, men drink more than women and
southern residents drink more than other Israelis.
Commissioned by Tami 4 and conducted by the Gal Institute,
the survey of 900 respondents found that overweight people
drink an average of 9.3 glasses of water per day,
middleweight people drink 7 glasses and thin people drink 5.9
glasses.
Men reported drinking an average of 8.9 glasses per day,
while women said they drink 7.4 glasses. When broken down
according to region, the hotter southern region led with 8.5
glasses per day, followed by the Sharon and Dan Regions.
Jerusalem came in last with 7.3 glasses per day.
The findings came close to typical recommendations, although
there is some disagreement on the subject among health
experts, who generally recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of
water per day in moderate weather. Larger quantities are
recommended on hot days and during physical exertion.
Despite common perceptions, excess water consumption does not
overload the kidneys or pose other health hazards since the
body has mechanisms to balance body water unless large
amounts are drunk at once. In cases of dehydration and after
fasting water should be consumed gradually to avoid diluting
the blood, which can cause dizziness and fainting.
Inadequate water consumption can cause kidney damage,
particularly if large quantities of protein or sodium are
eaten.
