Do you want to stay thin? Then one thing that could help you is drinking plenty of water, according to a new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.
The new research, which tested out the connection between drinking water and your ability to stay thin, was conducted among 10,000 adults. “Those who were inadequately hydrated had higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than those who were adequately hydrated,” said the leader of the study Dr. Tammy Chang, an assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Stay thin by hydrating yourself
People who drank too little water every day had 50 percent higher odds to become obese than those who hydrated sufficiently. Researchers compensated for variables like age, gender, and income.
Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, commented upon the results by saying that the study “indicated that hydration might impact weight, but it does not prove that.” “What it does show, though, is that a diet that includes more water, whether as a beverage or the water found in fruits and vegetables, is likely associated with a healthier weight,” added Diekman, who was not involved in the study.
Scientists assessed water intake as “adequate” or “inadequate” based on some urine samples which patients provided for the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2012. The research was conducted on more than 9,500 participants between the ages of 19 and 64. Among these, nearly one third was not drinking enough water.
The latter had higher BMI’s than the ones who were drinking plenty of liquids. The sufficiently hydrated subjects had an average BMI of 18, as compared to 29 for those who forgot to drink water. A BMI of 25 is considered overweight, while 30 is considered obese.
What does water have to do with weight?
Scientists think there are some factors connecting water and the ability to stay thin. For instance, obese people might have behaviors that don’t let them hydrate. Like eating when they are in fact thirsty. Also, drinking water helps you feel fuller, so you get to eat less during a meal.
Another theory is that someone who is conscientious enough to quench their thirst when needed has a healthier diet overall.
The Institute of Medicine suggests an intake of 125 ounces (3.6 liters) of water daily for men and 91 ounces (2.6 liters) for women. How do you know if you’re drinking enough? Just look at your urine. If it’s light, like water, then you’re well hydrated. If it has a darker shade, maybe you should fill up a glass of H2O!
To get more hydrated, it would be a good idea to also consume foods like apples, cucumbers, watermelon, plums, and celery, because they are all full of water. You also need to cut down on drinks that dehydrate you, like coffee and carbonated beverages.
