EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

[Destructor]

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.....
 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8897662/EU-bans-claim-that-water-can-prevent-dehydration.html

"Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration."

"A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy, concluded that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control."

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I...really don't know what to say.

[CeeKay]

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact.

someone let this investigation go on for 3 years?

[leo8877]

[SkyLander]

It's okay, because pizza is a vegetable.

[Caine]

What is this I don’t even..

[ericb]

And every one of them probably makes more money than you (for their expert opinions) 

[Punisher]

1) So what DOES prevent dehydration? Copious amounts of salt?
2) I think that diminished mental capacity is a symptom of dehydration.. Get those guys a glass of water..

[CeeKay]

1) So what DOES prevent dehydration?

BEER!   

[Bullwinkle]

It's okay, because pizza is a vegetable.

I was going to say the same thing.  Just ridiculous.

[Razgon]

I'm guessing everyone here didn't read the article, just the OP's title?

[Harkonis]

I'm guessing everyone here didn't read the article, just the OP's title?

I read the article, what exactly in it contradicts what people here are posting?  It's ridiculous.

[Razgon]

The EU ban doesn't say that water doesn't hydrate people

actually - a quick google search shows you exactly what the issue is http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/claims/community_register/rejected_health_claims_en.htm

And from the same article:

“This claim is trying to imply that there is something special about bottled water which is not a reasonable claim.”

[wonderpug]

I'm guessing everyone here didn't read the article, just the OP's title?

I read the article, what exactly in it contradicts what people here are posting?  It's ridiculous.

New Onion article idea

Research Shows - Nobody Reads Anything More than the Headline

A recent study by me shows that I really like pizza.  It's hard to know if I like fresh out of the box pizza or leftover pizza more, because while steaming hot is very appealing there is something about the convenience of having leftover pizza in the fridge that warms the soul.  I asked my two roommates, Buddy and JoeJoe, what they thought, and...

[Laner]

I read the article - it's still stupid.  Barring any mitigating factors, drinking enough water will keep you from being dehydrated.

[Destructor]

I read the article - it's still stupid.  Barring any mitigating factors, drinking enough water will keep you from being dehydrated.

Exactly. Is bottled water better at making you hydrated verses tap? No. But that's not the argument that's being presented and what makes the article so funny.

[Razgon]

I read the article - it's still stupid.  Barring any mitigating factors, drinking enough water will keep you from being dehydrated.

Exactly. Is bottled water better at making you hydrated verses tap? No. But that's not the argument that's being presented and what makes the article so funny.

Oh, sure - the article is funny and misleading, but the issue itself really isnt that interesting. Is the Telegraph anti-EU btw?

[Purge]

First of all, these scientists KNOW this is going to be big news, so they're clearly a bunch of retards who held up their red "NO" rubber stamp instead of the green "YES" one, and EVERYONE knew that this was going to be quiet news, right? Come on people, dig deeper. Clearly this journalist didn't do their work.

The most important quote:

Of course water hydrates. While we support the EU in preventing false claims about products, we need to exercise common sense as far as possible.

They are associating their product with preventative health claims. You know what? You need *proof* of said health claims, and, in order for you to gain scientific status you should also be tested against alternatives and show that this is the case. As is illustrated at the bottom of the article, dehydration is generally clinical in nature, and not simply from being thirsty.

If you were in the hospital with hydration, would you expect them to give you a case of bottled water and send you home?

This is about a new EU law that has been put in place, and while critics want to call them retarded (just look at this thread!), there is more to it than water and the common definition of dehydration. On top of that, there are laws and corporations involved.

German professors Dr Andreas Hahn and Dr Moritz Hagenmeyer, who advise food manufacturers on how to advertise their products, asked the European Commission if the claim could be made on labels.
They compiled what they assumed was an uncontroversial statement in order to test new laws which allow products to claim they can reduce the risk of disease, subject to EU approval.
They applied for the right to state that “regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration” as well as preventing a decrease in performance.

Dehydration is not as simple as not being wet enough.

Look it up, Wiki.

There are three types of dehydration: hypotonic or hyponatremic (primarily a loss of electrolytes, sodium in particular), hypertonic or hypernatremic (primarily a loss of water), and isotonic or isonatremic (equal loss of water and electrolytes).[2] In humans, the most commonly seen type of dehydration by far is isotonic (isonatraemic) dehydration which effectively equates with hypovolemia, but the distinction of isotonic from hypotonic or hypertonic dehydration may be important when treating people who become dehydrated. Physiologically, dehydration, despite the name, does not simply mean loss of water, as water and solutes (mainly sodium) are usually lost in roughly equal quantities to how they exist in blood plasma. In hypotonic dehydration, intravascular water shifts to the extravascular space, exaggerating intravascular volume depletion for a given amount of total body water loss. Neurological complications can occur in hypotonic and hypertonic states. The former can lead to seizures, while the latter can lead to osmotic cerebral edema upon rapid rehydration.[3]

And we're going to see warning labels on food that claim that eating it will prevent starvation (because starvation = hungry, right?).

Now if they said water helps stop you from being thirsty, go play.

[Razgon]

Thank you Purge - Very elequently said!

Unfortunately, shoddy journalism or news with an agenda is part of misleading the greater public who believes in every word they read from what they consider trusted sources, as newspapers and the like. I just have to look at my grandparents for a great example of people who believe all they read - They are afraid to go out after dark, fear the foreigners who have come to take their jobs and their money and is most likely thieves as well, since thats what they infer from todays papers in Denmark. We have the exact same issue, I'm afraid.

[Bullwinkle]

I actually figured it might be something like that.  Thanks for the research Purge.

Now explain how on this side of the pond, apart from the obvious lobbying and greed, pizza could be declared a vegetable.

[rshetts2]

1) So what DOES prevent dehydration?

BEER!   

WRONG!   Alcohol dehydrates you and that dehydration is one of the primary causes of hangovers.    Im an expert on this, can I have my million Euros for my well studied opinion now please?

[Doopri]

i didnt read the article but i know a lot of european countries have VERY strict truth in adverstising laws.  im GUESSING the gist of the article was that the eu wasnt going to let some company use "Prevents Dehydration" as a marketing label on f@$%ing water.

its like how in the us, during the transfat crazy, EVERY chip (most of which never even were within 1000 miles of transfat) turned "transfat free" into a label, or how a company defined what "organic" was with an internal memo, then started printing out "100% organic" labels and suddenly their product was organic.

basically, the EU wasnt going to let a water comany say their water was dehydration-preventing.  they probably looked at it as if the company saying were "now with a 10000% times more watery goodness than other waters!"  youd be surprised at how much of what is advertised in companies without truth in advertising laws is complete and total bs boardering on outright lies and fraud

[Doopri]

oooh and funny little unintentional slip there - where i said "companies" near the end of my post, i meant "countries"

[CeeKay]

1) So what DOES prevent dehydration?

BEER!   

WRONG!   Alcohol dehydrates you and that dehydration is one of the primary causes of hangovers.    Im an expert on this, can I have my million Euros for my well studied opinion now please?

I have some Drachmas laying around here somewhere.....

[Rumpy]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

[Crux]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

[Razgon]

Yeah, stupid EU and dumb-ass professors...

[CeeKay]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

maybe he can't read Canadian.

[Hamsterball_Z]

"A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy...."

Parma is a sandwich!

[Rumpy]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

Nah, I read it. Water's water.

[Rumpy]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

maybe he can't read Canadian.

Dude, I'm Canadian. If I couldn't read my own language, that'd be pretty silly

[Misguided]

I read the article - it's still stupid.  Barring any mitigating factors, drinking enough water will keep you from being dehydrated.

Exactly. Is bottled water better at making you hydrated verses tap? No. But that's not the argument that's being presented and what makes the article so funny.

I would have allowed them to keep it, but also required they add a warning statement that drinking too much sometimes causes a dangerous electrolyte imbalance that can prove fatal. Seems like a fair trade.

[Purge]

I read the article - it's still stupid.  Barring any mitigating factors, drinking enough water will keep you from being dehydrated.

Exactly. Is bottled water better at making you hydrated verses tap? No. But that's not the argument that's being presented and what makes the article so funny.

I would have allowed them to keep it, but also required they add a warning statement that drinking too much sometimes causes a dangerous electrolyte imbalance that can prove fatal. Seems like a fair trade.

Also, a complete instruction manual in the proper use. I mean hey, who hasn't accidentally inhaled a bottle of water and almost drowned, right?

[Purge]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

Nah, I read it. Water's water.

And advertising is advertising. Claiming medical health benefits need to be proven.

[Razgon]

This reminds me, I read about a danish woman who died about 6 months ago, due to drinking too much water...3-4 liters in an hour over a prolonged period was apparently lethal!

[TiLT]

This reminds me, I read about a danish woman who died about 6 months ago, due to drinking too much water...3-4 liters in an hour over a prolonged period was apparently lethal!

Water is definitely lethal in large amounts. There's the occasional case of water poisoning during marathons for example, as people will drink far too much water in preparation for running. Those who advocate "cleaning your body" by drinking large amounts of water should be jailed for attempted (hopefully) murder.

[MonkeyFinger]

I still recall the ill-advised Hold your wee for a Wii contest a radio station held back in 2007.

[Rumpy]

Way for the EU to go against scientific fact.

Way to not read any of the follow-up discussion or further information about the ruling

Nah, I read it. Water's water.

And advertising is advertising. Claiming medical health benefits need to be proven.

No doubt. I think the key word here is "Help". That it helps prevent dehydration, not that it prevents it.  That said, I don't think it's completely wrong. They just forgot the modifier.