A study found overweight adults lost nearly 10lb in 12 weeks after drinking water half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner.

一项研究发现，在三餐前半小时饮水的超重成年人，体重在12周之内下降了近10磅。

Researchers say it could provide a low-cost solution to Britain's escalating¹ obesity² crisis.

研究人员称，这可以为英国不断升级的肥胖危机提供一个低成本的解决方案。

The trial saw obese³ adults recruited and given a weight management consultation⁴.

试验招募了肥胖的成年人，并向他们提供了体重管理咨询。

They were advised on lifestyle and dietary changes and how to improve their levels of physical activity.

他们得到了关于改变生活方式和饮食，以及如何提高体育活动水平的建议。

Half were asked to "pre-load" with water before meals and half were just asked to imagine that they had a full stomach before eating.

试验要求他们中的一半人要在三餐之前半小时预先喝水，而另一半人只要在吃饭之前，想象他们的胃里已经饱饱的了。

The first group lost 2lb 14oz more than the second group, on average, with a loss of 9lb 8oz over 12 weeks compared with just 1lb 12oz.

12周之后，第一组体重下降了9磅8盎司，而第二组仅下降了1磅12盎司，第一组比第二组平均多减掉了2磅14盎司。

Sparkling water, sodas⁵ and sweetened drinks were not allowed and participants drank plain tap water.

苏打水、碳酸饮料和甜饮料都是不允许喝的，试验参与者只能喝普通的自来水。

Dr Helen Parretti, of the National Institute for Health Research at the University of Birmingham, the lead author of the research, said: "The beauty of these findings is in the simplicity⁶. Just drinking a pint⁷ of water, three times a day, before your main meals may help reduce your weight.

伯明翰大学国家健康研究所的海伦?帕里蒂博士是这项研究的第一作者，他说："这些发现之美，在于其简单。三餐之前，只要喝一品脱水，就能够帮助你减肥。

"When combined with brief instructions on how to increase your amount of physical activity and on a healthy diet, this seems to help people to achieve some extra weight loss – at a moderate and healthy rate.

"再结合增加运动量和健康饮食，便可以帮助人们以适度且健康的速度成功减重。

"It's something that doesn't take much work to integrate into our busy everyday lives."

"尤其是这并不会占用我们日常生活中太多时间。"

Many weight-loss programmes advise people to drink water, but no previous studies directly tested this.

许多减肥计划都建议人们喝水，但之前并没有研究直接检测这一说法。

Last night Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum⁸, said: "There is a widely held view that simple tap water is plain boring and couldn't possibly help you feel full – but it does.

肥胖论坛的泰姆?弗莱昨晚说："人们普遍认为，简单的自来水口感乏味，不能让人有饱腹感——这种观点是不对的。"

Dr Louis Levy⁹, head of nutrition science at Public Health England, said "thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger".

英国公共卫生部门营养科学的带头人路易斯?利维博士说："人们有时会把口渴误认为是饥饿。"

He added: "Whilst water does not cause you to lose weight, it does keep you hydrated and might help you to eat less."

他补充说："水并不是使你减重的原因，它只是使你处于饱含水分的状态，从而帮助你少吃一点。"