First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign urging Americans to drink one more glass of water per day is based on faulty science experts said Friday on CNN.
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of the University of Pennsylvania alleged the campaign is supporting urban myths surrounding increased water consumption that have been "debunked over the years":
DR. STANLEY GOLDFARB: There's no good evidence that drinking extra water is going to lead to a healthier existence. […] They decided to sort of support some of these urban myths that have been really debunked over the years.
Dr. Goldfarb took particular issue with the way the White House is framing the initiative, according to Politico:
"There really isn’t data to support this," said Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of the University of Pennsylvania. "I think, unfortunately, frankly, they’re not basing this on really hard science. It’s not a very scientific approach they’ve taken. … To make it a major public health effort, I think I would say it’s bizarre."
Goldfarb, a kidney specialist, took particular issue with White House claims that drinking more water would boost energy.
"The idea drinking water increases energy, the word I’ve used to describe it is: quixotic," he said. "We’re designed to drink when we’re thirsty. … There’s no need to have more than that."