In the hot summer months, it’s more important than ever to ensure that you stay hydrated. Among all your varied beverage options, drink water – it’s your best choice. It’s free, it’s readily available and it has no calories. And here’s another reason why water is the best beverage: A new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine shows that hydration may play a role in weight management. Allison Aubrey talks about the study in NPR: New Study Links Good Hydration To Slimmer Waistlines
“What we found was that people who were inadequately hydrated had increased odds of being obese,” says study author Tammy Chang of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan.
The study was based on data collected by a federal health survey, in which researchers had documented weight and height of participants. They also conducted urine tests to establish an objective measure of participants’ level of hydration.
Chang and her colleagues found the odds of being obese were 1.59 times higher for people who were not well-hydrated. And overall, they found that a lack of proper hydration was associated with higher body mass index.
Despite the many benefits of water, we still talk to many people who are hooked on soda, particularly in the summertime. See our short “We Want You Healthy video on water over soda for some arguments against soda as an option. But you say you only drink diet soda? Well think twice about that: The Cleveland Clinic offers three research-based reasons to kick the diet soda habit. Click the article link to get the full scoop, but the reasons break down like this: 1) “Diet” soda is associated with weight gain; 2) Diet soda may cause insulin confusion; and 3) Diet soda may change your brain’s reaction to sweetness.
We think switching over to water is still the best choice. Add a little lemon if you need some zest. For more on the science of why water is a such a great choice, we turn to one of our favorite doctors, Mike Evans, who explains the health benefits of this “miracle drink” better than we ever could in one of his entertaining videos.