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Drink Water Before Meals to Lose Weight, Taiwanese Nutritionist Says

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Drinking 500ml of water 30 minutes before meals can aid weight loss, according to a study.
  • This method works through physical stomach filling and changes in blood plasma osmotic pressure, suppressing appetite.
  • The strategy is particularly effective for individuals over 55 and those who eat quickly, offering a low-cost, low-risk weight management tool.

A simple habit could be the key to shedding extra pounds without strict dieting. Research suggests that drinking 500ml of water 30 minutes before each meal can significantly contribute to weight loss.

The study found that adult participants who drank 500ml of water 30 minutes before each meal lost an average of 4.35 kilograms after three months.

— Nutritionist Hsiao Wei-linExplaining the findings of a study on pre-meal water consumption for weight loss.

A 2010 study published in "Obesity" found that participants who followed this pre-meal water regimen lost an average of 4.35 kilograms over three months. This was nearly double the 2.45 kilograms lost by a control group. The findings suggest that this "water preloading" strategy is a low-cost, low-risk intervention for weight management.

Physical stomach filling activates stretch receptors, sending 'I'm full' signals to the hypothalamus in advance.

— Nutritionist Hsiao Wei-linDescribing the first mechanism by which pre-meal water intake aids weight loss.

Nutritionist Hsiao Wei-lin explained the two proposed mechanisms behind this effect. Firstly, the water physically fills the stomach, activating stretch receptors that signal fullness to the brain, reducing food intake by about 13% per meal. Secondly, drinking water temporarily lowers blood plasma osmotic pressure, which inhibits the appetite center. This effect is strongest when consumed 20-30 minutes before eating.

Drinking water temporarily lowers blood plasma osmotic pressure, inhibiting the drive to eat.

— Nutritionist Hsiao Wei-linDescribing the second mechanism by which pre-meal water intake aids weight loss.

Further analysis in 2022 confirmed that this strategy is most effective when water is consumed 20-30 minutes before eating, not during meals. The benefits are particularly pronounced for individuals over 55, whose hunger perception may decline with age, and for those who eat quickly, as it forces a slower pace and allows satiety signals to reach the brain. However, the nutritionist stressed that only plain water or unsweetened sparkling water offers these benefits; sugary drinks and caffeinated beverages do not have the same effect.

The water preloading strategy is rated as a 'low-cost, low-risk, clinically significant' weight management auxiliary intervention.

— Nutritionist Hsiao Wei-linReferencing a 2022 Canadian systematic review on water preloading.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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