Drinking Water before Meals Promotes Weight Loss

October 16, 2015

Unlocking Word Meanings
 今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. full / fʊl / (adj.) – no longer feeling hungry
Example: I’ve eaten four slices of bread so I’m already full.

2. dehydration / ˌdi haɪˈdreɪ ʃən / (n.) – the condition of not having enough water in the body
Example: You should drink eight glasses of water to avoid dehydration.

3. promising / ˈprɒm ə sɪŋ / (adj.) – showing great potential
Example: The results of the study look very promising.

4. arrive at / əˈraɪv æt / (v. phrase) – to reach a decision or conclusion
Example: The scientists arrived at the conclusion that drinking water has many health benefits.

5. energetic / ˌɛn ərˈdʒɛt ɪk / (adj.) – full of energy
Example: The participants were very energetic during the activity.


Article
 ニュース記事

Read the text below.
Drinking water before eating helps people lose weight, a recent study from the University of Birmingham [BUR-ming-uh m] revealed.

Eighty-four obese adults, 54 of which are women and 30 are men, participated in the said study. Half of the participants were asked to drink about two glasses of water before a main meal, while the other half just imagined that they were full before eating. After 12 weeks, researchers checked on the participants’ change in weight.

After 12 weeks, both groups lost between two to nine pounds, However, the group who drank water before eating their main meals lost over 2.8 pounds more than the other group. One possible reason behind this result is the obvious effect of drinking water before eating—it makes one feel fuller, and thus less hungry. Drinking water also prevents dehydration, which sometimes results in feeling hungry.

While this is a promising result, researchers still need to test this experiment with a larger set of participants to determine if they can also arrive at the same results.

Aside from helping people lose weight, drinking water before meals has other benefits. According to many studies, drinking water before eating improves one’s skin. This is because water hydrates the skin, preventing it from being rough and dry.

Drinking water before meals also boosts one’s energy. Dehydration usually makes people feel less energetic, thus making it a bit difficult to work effectively. This is why regularly drinking water, especially before meals, is highly recommended.

Viewpoint Discussion
 ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         What are your thoughts about the results of the study?
·         Aside from those mentioned in the article, how else can drinking water be beneficial?

Discussion B

·         What else can people do to lose weight aside from drinking water?
·         What do you think is the ideal weight? Please discuss your answer.

October 16, 2015