New research highlights the role of sport in promoting healthier hydration and oral health

A new article published in the British Dental Journal highlights the important role sport and physical activity can play in shaping healthier hydration habits among children and young people.

Sport is one of the most powerful social environments in many communities. Through clubs, coaching programmes and community initiatives, it reaches children and families who may not routinely engage with traditional health services. This creates an opportunity to reinforce healthier everyday behaviours, including choices around drinks and hydration.

But the sporting environment also reflects wider challenges in the food system. The availability and marketing of sugar-sweetened beverages in sport settings, alongside the normalisation of sports and energy drinks, can contribute to patterns of consumption associated with poor oral health and food-related ill health. These risks are often felt most acutely in communities already facing wider social and economic pressures.

The article argues that sport should be recognised not only as a vehicle for physical activity, but also as an important setting for prevention. By working with sports organisations, schools and community partners, public health programmes can help shift norms around hydration and reduce children’s exposure to high-sugar drinks.

Initiatives such as Give Up Loving Pop (GULP) demonstrate how this can work in practice. Delivered through partnerships with professional sports clubs and community organisations, the programme encourages children to rethink their relationship with sugary drinks, while promoting water as the default choice and raising awareness of the links between sugar consumption, oral health and wellbeing.

As Nutrition and Hydration Week (16–22 March) approaches, the publication offers a timely reminder that improving diet and hydration is not solely the responsibility of healthcare services. The environments in which children learn, play and socialise also shape everyday health behaviours.

Strengthening prevention therefore requires action across multiple settings. Sport, when supported by the right partnerships and policies, can play a meaningful role in promoting healthier hydration and protecting oral health for the next generation.