Researchers at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA) followed 48 adults (aged 55-75 years) that were divided into two groups. The first group drank two cups of water prior to their meals, while the other did not; all of the subjects ate a low-calorie diet during the study. The researchers found that over the course of 12 weeks, the water drinkers lost about 7 kilograms, while the non-water drinkers lost about 5 kilograms.

The researchers said that water might be so effective simply because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller as a result, and eat less calorie-containing food during the meal. Increased water consumption, and even beverages with artificial sweeteners, may also help people reduce their calorie intake and lose weight. Beverages sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, however, have the opposite effect, since although they fill the stomach, they are also high in calories. The study was presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), held during August 2010 in Boston (MA, USA).

"We found in earlier studies that middle aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal,” said lead author Prof. Brenda Davy, Ph.D. "People should drink more water and less sugary, high-calorie drinks. It's a simple way to facilitate weight management.”

Water provides a number of benefits when dieting, since it has zero calories and suppresses the appetite by distending the stomach. Increasing water intake also helps release excess water stored in the body, and a few kilograms can be lost within the first week or two of a diet just by water consumption. A further tip is to drink ice-cold water, since the body needs to heat it up to absorb it properly, resulting in more calories burnt.

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