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The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in a tweet on October 24, urged people to drink more water to fight obesity, in view of the growing obesity and overweight crisis in India.

“Proper hydration plays an important role in weight management. Pay attention to your daily water intake today – this could be your first step towards a healthy body and a fit lifestyle!” reads the tweet.

That short message echoes what a growing body of research is now confirming: that staying hydrated may be one of the most underappreciated tools for maintaining a healthy weight.

Obesity in India

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) dataIn adults, the prevalence increased by 91 per cent among women (from 12.6 per cent to 24.0 per cent) and 146 per cent among men (from 9.3 per cent to 22.9 per cent), indicating a nationwide health crisis.

Also, the country is witnessing a rapid surge in overweight and obesity among children under five, with prevalence rising by 127 per cent (from 1.5 per cent to 3.4 per cent between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 5 (2019-21). Similarly, adolescent girls and boys have seen an increase in overweight and obesity of 125 per cent (from 2.4 per cent to 5.4 per cent) and 288 per cent (from 1.7 per cent to 6.6 per cent) respectively.

The science behind the sip

A recent review published in ScienceDirect under the title ‘Water intake, hydration, and weight management: the glass is half-full!’ outlines how water consumption supports not just basic body functions, but also weight control.

“Water comprises about 60 per cent or more of our total body weight,” the paper notes, adding that adequate hydration is essential for thermoregulation, blood volume maintenance, oxygen and nutrient transport, and waste removal. However, beyond these vital functions, researchers found consistent links between higher water intake and lower body weight over time.

Findings

Individuals who drank more plain water showed greater odds of achieving clinically meaningful weight loss and less weight gain over time. In fact, drinking 500 ml of water before meals reduced hunger and energy intake among middle-aged and older adults. It also found that substituting water for sugar-sweetened beverages led to an average reduction of 0.33 kg in body weight, compared to control groups.

Researchers also found that inadequate hydration, or hypohydration, can have far-reaching health impacts — from increased risk of obesity and diabetes to accelerated biological aging. “Elevated serum sodium concentration, an indicator of hypohydration, is associated with accelerated biological aging and premature mortality,” the paper warns.

Water, then, isn’t just about quenching thirst. It may be a metabolic ally.

What actually happens when you drink water before meals

The idea that water helps with weight loss isn’t new, but is it really effective?

According to Dr Robert H. Shmerling, Senior Faculty Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, there’s at least some evidence that it can make a difference, though not for the reasons many assume.

“If you fill your stomach with water before eating, you’ll feel fuller and stop eating sooner,” Dr. Shmerling explains in his piece titled “Does drinking water before meals really help you lose weight?”

He points to several studies suggesting that older adults who drank water before meals tended to eat less and lost more weight over 12 weeks compared to those who didn’t. “Filling up on water before meals has intuitive appeal,” he writes. “Your stomach has nerves that sense stretch and send signals to the brain that it’s time to stop eating.

Hydration and hunger: the overlooked connection

Researchers believe one reason hydration may help manage weight is its impact on hunger regulation and adherence to low-calorie diets.

“The lack of practical and effective strategies to manage hunger and adhere to a weight management intervention represents a critical barrier to the weight management field,” says the ScienceDirect review. In its proof-of-concept studies, drinking half a liter of water before meals three times a day reduced hunger and increased the amount of weight lost after 12 weeks among middle-aged and older adults with overweight or obesity.

Moreover, people who stay hydrated tend to make better dietary choices and are less likely to consume sugary drinks that add empty calories. “Energy-containing beverages make up about 17 percent of total daily energy intake in the U.S.,” the review notes, suggesting that replacing even one serving of soda or juice with water daily could prevent nearly half a kilogram of weight gain over four years.

Where experts agree most strongly is on the role of substitution.

“If you usually drink high-calorie beverages (such as sweetened sodas, fruit juice, or alcohol), consistently replacing them with water can aid weight loss over time,” says Dr Shmerling.

A simple, powerful habit

For something so basic, hydration has far-reaching implications. It supports kidney and heart health, aids digestion, prevents urinary infections, and may even slow biological aging.

While the evidence isn’t conclusive enough for official dietary guidelines to prescribe a ‘weight loss water dose,’ experts agree that drinking more water is one of the simplest and safest lifestyle interventions anyone can make.

The US National Academies recommend about 3.7 liters per day for men and 2.7 liters for women, including water from all foods and beverages. In India’s climate, the need may be even higher for those spending long hours outdoors or exercising.

As the Health Ministry’s tweet reminds us, hydration isn’t just about thirst; it’s about balance, metabolism, and well-being.

So the next time you reach for a sugary drink, maybe reach for water instead. As the research shows, a single choice could tilt the scale in your favor.

This story is done in collaboration with First Checkwhich is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.