Suboptimal Hydration in Collegian Folk Dancers - A Two-Microcycle Assessment of Fluid Intake and Urine Specific Gravity: An Exploratory Study

Proper hydration is essential for performance and health in physically demanding activities such as folk dancing. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the hydration practices and hydration levels of collegiate folklore ensemble dancers by measuring urine specific gravity (USG) and monitoring fluid intake. A total of 18 dancers (7 males aged 17.54±1.77 years, and 11 females aged 17.22±1.87 years) participated in this study. Fluid intake was self-reported daily, and USG was measured from morning urine samples on training days. In analyzing men's USG values, no significant differences were found between the first and second microcycle (1.018 vs. 1.019 g.ml-1); however, a medium practical effect was observed (p=0.469; r=0.45). Two males were hypohydrated during the whole study, and five were mildly hypohydrated. In contrast, the analysis for women (1.014 v. 1.012 g.ml-1) revealed significant differences in USG across microcycles, indicating a large practical effect (p=0.001; r=0.87). One female was hypohydrated during the whole period, and ten were constantly mildly hypohydrated. Differences in males' fluid intake between microcycles (2.08 vs 1.84 l/day) were insig- nificant, but with a large practical effect (p=0.100; r=0.76). Females showed no significant difference (1.92 vs 1.81 l/ day), with no practical effect (p=0.700; r=0.08). When analyzing intrasexual differences, we found significant differences (U=245.5; p=0.004) in USG values, which were higher in men, indicating a higher degree of hypohydration. Differences in fluid intake between the sexes were not observed (U=160.5; p=0.846), and average consumption was below recom- mended guidelines. These findings underscore the need for targeted hydration education to mitigate performance and health risks in our subjects. Promoting awareness and implementing tailored hydration strategies may enhance perfor- mance, cognitive function, and injury prevention in folklore dancers.