Survey Says: Hydration Trumps Sex

Drinking enough water is more important than having enough sex, women report in survey.

When it comes to health, drinking the recommended daily amount of water is more important to women than having enough sex, according to a national survey conducted by our magazine. When asked to prioritize behaviors related to their overall health and well being, women ranked drinking enough water fifth and sex seventh on the list. More than 1,000 women participated in the nationwide Women’s Wellness Survey, which polled their opinions on healthy living, eating, and exercise.

Respondents ranked the following behaviors in terms of importance to overall health and well being. Their priorities may surprise you:

1. Getting enough sleep
2. Keeping stress level low
3. Finding time to relax
4. Eating healthfully
5. Drinking the recommended amount of water
6. Finding time to exercise
7. Having enough sex

Other key findings include:

• Women would rather be thought of as healthy than trendy, wealthy, powerful, beautiful, sexy, or successful. Only smart trumps healthy.

• The majority of women say they look younger (69%) and feel younger (58%) than they are.
   
• Nearly three-quarters (74%) pay more attention to their health and wellness today than they did five years ago. Six in 10 (62%) say that living a healthy lifestyle is a high priority in their lives.
   
• Forty-two percent agree that healthier people are more successful.
   
• Seventy-five percent of U.S. women believe being mindful of their health is an investment in themselves. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say taking measures to live healthfully is a way to personally control their lives and futures.
   
• Six in 10 agree that eating healthfully does not mean giving up flavor.
   
• The majority of women say their self-confidence is influenced by their appearance (74%) and their overall health and wellness (72%).

This report is based on a blind online study conducted among a randomly selected sample of U.S. women age 25+. The data in this report is based on 1020 competed questionnaires. The maximum margin of error is +/- 3% at the 95% confidence level.

August 2009

Printed from:
http://www.cookinglight.com/magazine/womens-wellness-poll-00400000054172/