QUINCY, ILL. -- Losing weight could be as simple as turning on a faucet.
A recent study by a professor of nutrition at Virginia Tech showed that some people could shed pounds simply by adding more water to their diet.
Jarod Wells talked to a local dietician about the study for this KHQA Safe Family Report.
It couldn't be simpler. People in this study drank 16 ounces of water before each meal of the day. They lost about five pounds more than those who didn't drink as much water.
YMCA Dietician Luz Brown said, "They consume less calories, about 235 calories less everyday just by drinking the water. Not just because water fills you up more, but also these people were consuming less high concentrated sugar drinks."
If somebody just adds more water to their diet is it going to always equate to losing weight?
Brown said, "Not necessarily."
Here's why. The test subjects in this group were between the ages of 55 to 75 and were already on a low calorie diet because of their age. Luz Brown says younger people would not see the same results because their digestive systems empty faster. Either way Brown says drinking more water rather than high calorie drinks like soda and juice could help you lose weight.
The results were similar for both men and women for test subjects between the ages of 55 to 75.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKHQA