The First Lady teamed up with the Partnership for a Healthier America this week, spreading the message to Americans that they should drink more water. A release from the campaign said it wanted to let Americans know that “drinking more water helps you have more energy to do more, longer and with better focus.” Overall, Obama wants to send the message that drinking more water leads to better health.
However, experts are refuting the claim, saying that it is just not that simple. “There’s no good evidence that drinking extra water is going to lead to a healthier existence,” said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of the University of Pennsylvania. He also said that the White House has “decided to sort of support some of these urban myths that have been really debunked over the years.” Many people, like Goldfarb, agree that there just isn’t enough science to support the “drink up” campaign’s message.
Some experts say that the campaign is not all wrong, but that there should more of an emphasis on cutting back on soda and sugary drinks. That would be more in line with Michelle Obama’s campaign against childhood obesity, which pretty much all experts agree is scientifically sound. Dr. John Dooley of Foxhall Internists is a big supporter of the First Lady’s health campaign, but says: “the claims about extra water itself leading to extra health, that’s a bit overstated.”
