According to the National Bureau of Statistics' 2011 Sixth National Population Census, children aged 0-14 account for 16.60% of the population; those aged 60 and above account for 13.26%, with those aged 65 and above at 8.87%. The data indicates that over the past decade, China's population growth has been at a low fertility level. With the full implementation of the two-child policy, many families have responded to the national call. Today, the typical family structure in China consists of two young parents and four grandparents (six adults in total) raising one or two children. It is no exaggeration to say that these one or two children are the future and hope of three families. For the sake of their children's growth, elders are willing to invest time and energy, and also spend more money on education. However, while parents provide higher-quality education, ensuring their children's healthy growth from a professional perspective in terms of basic diet is also a focus of attention. The Importance of Water Water is the source of life and one of the most important material resources indispensable for human survival and development. Infants' Need for Water 1. 0-6 Months: Exclusive Breastfeeding We strongly urge all mothers to adhere to exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged 0-6 months! Breast milk is the ideal food for infants; exclusive breastfeeding can meet all the fluids, energy, and nutrients required by infants up to 6 months of age. No formula can compare to breast milk. However, the reality in China is not optimistic. Data released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2014 show that China's breastfeeding rate has been declining, dropping nearly 40% over 16 years. The exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants aged 0-6 months is 27.8%, with rural areas at 30.3% and urban areas only 16.8%, far below the international average of 38%. Generally, exclusively breastfed infants under 6 months do not need extra water. But since about 70% of mothers in China cannot exclusively breastfeed, the water used to prepare formula becomes especially important. 2. Infants Over 6 Months After 6 months, infants begin to drink water directly in addition to breast milk, making water's impact on infant health more direct. Consequently, ordinary drinking water has been upgraded in name to specialized infant water, and many families are paying attention to this, gradually opening up the water market. Water Intake for Infants According to the Chinese Dietary Guidelines reference intake: A 65 kg adult needs to drink 1.7 liters of water per day, in addition to water obtained from food. Infants weighing 3-20 kg need a total daily water intake of 0.7-1.3 liters. See the table below for details: From a scientific perspective, water accounts for 70%-80% of an infant's body weight, much higher than an adult's 60%-65%. The proportion of water in body weight is higher, and the basal metabolic rate per unit body weight is higher than in adults. Let's do a simple calculation: An average adult, weighing 65 kg, drinks 1.7 liters of water per day, with a water requirement of 26.2 ml/kg per unit body weight. An infant, weighing 20 kg, drinks 1.3 liters per day, with a water requirement of ≥65.0 ml/kg per unit body weight, which is more than 2.5 times that of an adult! The World Health Organization has stated: (1) Infants aged 0-6 months should be exclusively breastfed and do not need extra water. (2) For infants aged 7-12 months, the average daily breast milk intake is about 630 ml, and water intake from complementary foods and other drinks should be about 330 ml. (3) For toddlers aged 1-2 years, water from breast milk is 480 ml per day, and water from complementary foods should be at least 825 ml per day. (4) For 3-year-old children, the reference is the same, with a daily water intake of about 1.3 liters. What Makes Infant Drinking Water Special? Most products are marketed with the selling point of "low sodium, low mineral content, protecting baby's kidneys," and they often specify the water source and the content of trace elements such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. For fairness, we have listed more than 10 products in the table below using letters only: (All data comes from product labels or online introductions; for reference only.) From the table above, it is clear that companies producing infant drinking water have all reduced the mineral content in the water. Taking sodium as an example, China's "GB 5749-2006 Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water" stipulates that sodium content should be ≤200 mg/L, but the sodium content in infant drinking water products is roughly in the range of 0.8-45 mg/L, a significant reduction. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a group of experts in nutrition, medicine, and science at the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health in Rome to discuss the contribution of minerals in drinking water to total dietary nutrition. Their research was compiled into the book "Nutrients in Drinking Water," with the 13th paper, "Nutritional Minerals in Drinking Water: Effects on Infant Nutrition," specifically discussing the impact of minerals in drinking water on infant nutrition. The paper states: "Compared to an infant's body weight, the amount of drinking water consumed is relatively large and over a long period, so the concentration of nutritional minerals in drinking water may have a significant impact on the total intake of trace elements and minerals by infants." We usually use water to prepare infant formula, and the mineral content in the water can, to some extent, cause changes in the mineral content of the milk. Because for most infants in China, formula intake is large and over a long period, the concentration of nutritional minerals in drinking water can affect the total intake of trace elements and minerals. Very Important Minerals As we all know, infants do not have as diverse a source of nutrition as adults; they mainly obtain trace elements and minerals from breast milk, formula, complementary foods, and water. Some nutrients are primarily obtained through water, as they are low in other foods, such as fluoride and chromium. Therefore, for infants to get comprehensive nutrition, water is one of the important channels for certain nutrients. If There Were No Minerals In the WHO's "Nutrients in Drinking Water" collection, it is mentioned that cooking with purified water can cause significant loss of essential elements from food (vegetables, meat, grains). During the production of purified water, harmful substances in tap water are removed. However, it also removes all essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Long-term consumption is not conducive to the comprehensive supplementation of various nutrients for infants. Therefore, purified water with almost zero mineral content is not suitable for preparing infant formula, nor is it advisable to give infants purified water as the sole drinking water for a long time. How Many Minerals Do Infants Need? Infants in the rapid growth stage have higher water requirements. We do not recommend long-term use of purified water with almost zero mineral content. But this does not mean that infants need to consume large amounts of drinking water with high mineral content. Infants, as new lives just arriving in this world, have immature kidney development. Currently, infant drinking water brands on the market include: Nongfu Spring (natural drinking water, suitable for infants), Monas (natural mineral water, infant type), Blue Mountain Water (natural drinking water, maternal and infant type), Bolulei (natural drinking water), Kelan (calcium-magnesium packaged drinking water), Huoquan 1230 (light mineral water), Wanlan (resin baby bottle), Wuta (maternal and infant type), Nazer (maternal and infant water), 8210 (natural mineral water), Kanerjing, Dachuan Xiansheng (Tasmanian spring water), Quanyangquan (natural weak alkaline mineral water). Nongfu Spring (natural drinking water, suitable for infants) Monas (natural mineral water, infant type) Wuta (maternal and infant type) Bolulei (natural drinking water) What Are China's Standards? Currently, China has no specific drinking water standard for infants. Since July 1, 2012, China has enforced the "GB 5749-2006 Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water," which is in line with international standards, with 106 testing indicators. Water meeting this standard can meet the daily needs of adults. However, like the WHO's "Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality," the limits in GB 5749-2006 are not specifically set for infants, nor do they consider the impact of mineral content in drinking water on infant health. The standard's range for mineral content is broad, and there are no clear requirements for some important mineral content indicators. How Do Other Countries Regulate Infant Drinking Water? In 2003, the WHO published "Nutritional Minerals in Drinking Water: Effects on Infant Nutrition," which proposed that for drinking water suitable for infants: sodium ≤20 mg/L, sulfate ≤200 mg/L. Similarly, the French Food Safety Agency, the Swiss Society of Pediatrics, the Austrian Federal Law Gazette, and the British Health Authority have all set requirements for mineral salt content in drinking water suitable for infants. Examples are listed below: Current Status of Infant Drinking Water in China At present, household drinking water in China cannot meet the requirements for infant drinking water in some aspects. The TDS (total dissolved solids) content of tap water in most regions far exceeds the recommended values of foreign regulations and international institutions. For example, the TDS content of Beijing tap water is about 200-300 mg/L, far higher than the recommended value of ≤100 mg/L. Some parents even give infants large amounts of milk or juice instead of water, which is not advisable. Water plays a role that formula and juice cannot replace; infants may suffer from dehydration and other serious consequences due to insufficient water intake. In addition, high sugar content can affect the normal development of children's teeth, and even cause anorexia and obesity. Therefore, infants should have a specialized water that can help the entire life system achieve the most harmonious state. Experts say that further scientific evidence is needed to determine the optimal mineral concentration in drinking water for early childhood. However, in developed countries such as Europe, the United States, and Japan, 70% of families choose specialized water for infants. Therefore, it is recommended that parents with the means consider referring to European and American standards to choose natural spring water suitable for infant drinking, for preparing formula, complementary foods, and as a long-term direct drinking water. -END-