More than two and a half million Brits can’t remember the last time they drank a plain glass of water.
A poll of 2,000 adults revealed 40 per cent rely primarily on cups of tea to stay hydrated, with 30 per cent opting for coffee and 17 per cent fizzy drinks.
With Boomers twice as likely as Gen Z to turn to tea for their hydration needs (56 per cent vs 23 per cent).
And women are more likely than men to fail to drink enough water, with 36 per cent of females reporting this compared to 27 per cent of men.
Just 17 per cent are drinking enough water, according to NHS guidelines which recommend up to eight glasses a day, according to the research commissioned by hydration drink Más+ by Messi, which is promoting positive hydration to keep Brits on top of their game.
Nearly a tenth of all adults polled (nine per cent) don’t like the taste of plain water, while 43 per cent claimed it tastes boring.
It also emerged 10 per cent of the parents polled don’t think their children drink enough each day.
While the study, which also polled 837 teenagers, found 15 per cent of them drink plain water only a few times a week at most.
In fact, one mum, Kelly Mulligan, 53, says her son, Max, nine, hasn't sunk a glass of plain water since he was four years old.
Despite Max having regular thirst cues, he's "never liked the taste" of water because "there's no flavour.”
Instead, the youngster would rather drink apple juice, which Kelly dilutes with water to keep Max's sugar content down.
Kelly, from Brighton, who runs her own cleaning business, said: “Max has never liked plain water - he says there's no flavour.
“I agree – I don't drink plain water either. I can only drink carbonated water or tea.
“Max will take little sips of water if he needs to, but he's always thirsty and says plain water doesn't quench his thirst.
“He loves fresh apple juice, but to make sure he's not having too much natural sugar, I water it down.
“He's fine with that, and it helps me to know that he is having some form of water.
Mum of one, Kelly added: “Max has to take a bottle of water to school because they don't allow anything [else], but how much he actually drinks of that, I'm not sure.
“He's healthy and happy, so I have no concerns. He has a varied diet and keeps active. It isn't like he's drinking no liquids at all.
“The diluted apple juice is a middle ground which helps keep my concerns for his teeth a bay.”
The study also found of the 13–17-year-olds polled, 34 per cent prefer other drinks to water, while 26 per cent ‘forget’ to drink it.
While 29 per cent of adults believed tea, coffee and soft drinks are as effective as water when it comes to hydration.
Just 12 per cent actively monitor their water intake, with 60 per cent not bothering at all – and the remainder trying to keep mental notes on how much they’ve had.
But 17 per cent often experience symptoms they believe are due to dehydration, such as headaches or fatigue.
The issues are often passed down to children, as 54 per cent of the parents polled struggle to get kids to drink plain water on a regular basis.
This leaves 41 per cent feeling worried, with three quarters having to ‘force’ their children to stay hydrated.
Sophie Van Ettinger, global VP Más+ by Messi, said: “It’s alarming the number of people who are not aware they are dehydrated daily and will often go through days experiencing a lack of energy or headaches, not realising a simple glass of water or even a hydration drink is the solution.”
Leo Messi, co-founder for the drink, added: “As an athlete, I know the importance of hydration for peak performance.”
