Measuring Human Water Needs

Abstract

Water connects the environment, culture, and biology, yet only recently has it emerged as a major focus for research in human biology. To facilitate such research, we describe methods to measure biological, environmental, and perceptual indicators of human water needs. This toolkit provides an overview of methods for assessing different dimensions of human water need, both well-established and newly-developed. These include:(a) markers of hydration (eg, urine specific gravity, doubly labeled water) important for measuring the impacts of water need on human biological functioning; (b) methods for measuring water quality (eg, digital colorimeter, membrane filtration) essential for understanding the health risks associated with exposure to microbiological, organic, metal, inorganic nonmental, and other contaminants; and (c) assessments of household water insecurity status that track aspects of unmet water needs (eg, inadequate water service, unaffordability, and experiences of water insecurity) that are directly relevant to human health and biology. Together, these methods can advance new research about the role of water in human biology and health, including the ways that insufficient, unsafe, or insecure water produces negative biological and health outcomes.

Life and death: Toward a human biology of water

“…Of course, we need the right tools to answer all these questions, particularly with regard to measuring or otherwise describing water in ways that are valid and reliable and hence comparable. To that end, an up‐to‐date and comprehensive “toolkit” by Wutich et al (, this issue) helps address this gap. Drawing from an array of different fields and disciplines, including physiology, nutrition, social science, and environmental science, we hope this final piece provides the means for all human biologists to engage water in their research—whether as a central concern or as a corollary to other foci in their work.…”

“…Wutich's Pearl lecture (, this issue) from the 2019 Plenary at the Human Biology Association meetings makes the compelling case for why it needs to be human biologists who take the lead in this crucial work. As she points out, humans employ an array of technological and social (eg, sharing) strategies at an institutional level to deal with water scarcity.…”

Water turnover among human populations: Effects of environment and lifestyle

“…There are two general approaches for measuring 24‐hours water turnover in human populations. The most common method is 24‐hour dietary recall surveys or interviews, in which the subject lists the types and quantities of food and beverage consumed over the recall period (Athanasatou, Malisova, Kandyliari, & Kapsokefalou, ; Berti & Leonard, ; Kant, Graubard, & Atchison, ; Laksmi et al, ; Manz et al, ; Rosinger & Tanner, ; Tani et al, ; Wutich, Rosinger, Stoler, Jepson, & Brewis, ). Several instruments are available for this purpose.…”

Water & Human Biology and New Developments for the American Journal of Human Biology

“…The volume concludes with a contribution to the journal's “Toolkit” Series by Wutich et al () describing methods for evaluating human water needs. This paper considers a range of novel techniques for assessing hydration status, water quality, and household risks for water insecurity.…”