Why Water Can Help You Lose Weight — But Only Sometimes
Negative, Null and Beneficial Effects of Drinking Water on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, Fat Oxidation and Weight Change in Randomized Trials: A Qualitative Review
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Drinking water increases energy expenditure in obese individuals at rest—but not in normal-weight people.
Common advice says water boosts metabolism for everyone. This study shows it only works if your metabolism is already impaired.
Practical Takeaways
Swap one sugary drink per day with water—especially if you're overweight or a child.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Drinking water increases energy expenditure in obese individuals at rest—but not in normal-weight people.
Common advice says water boosts metabolism for everyone. This study shows it only works if your metabolism is already impaired.
Practical Takeaways
Swap one sugary drink per day with water—especially if you're overweight or a child.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2016
Authors
J. Stookey
Related Content
Claims (10)
For people who are overweight, drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach can slightly boost calorie burning, but this doesn’t happen in people with normal weight.
If kids or overweight adults switch from soda or juice to water without changing what they eat, they tend to gain less weight over time — but if they’re on a strict diet, water doesn’t help much.
Water-induced thermogenesis is significantly greater in metabolically inflexible, overweight individuals compared to metabolically healthy individuals.
When you drink water instead of sugary drinks, your body burns more fat, especially if you haven’t eaten recently or are doing light exercise, because sugar in drinks stops your body from burning fat.
If you drink water instead of soda, juice, or milk with your meals, you tend to eat less food overall, which can help you take in fewer calories.