Elsevier

Nutrition

Volume 24, Issue 10, October 2008, Pages 925-932
Nutrition

Applied nutritional investigation
Intake from water from foods but not beverages, is related to lower body mass index and waist circumference in humans

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2008.04.002Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

Experimental trials using test meals suggest that water promotes satiety and decreases subsequent intake, thus possibly working to prevent obesity, when it is consumed as an integral component of a food, but not when consumed alone or alongside a food. We examined the associations of intake of water from beverages and intake of water from foods with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in free-living humans consuming self-selected diets.

Methods

This observational cross-sectional study included 1136 female Japanese dietetic students 18–22 y of age. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated, self-administered, comprehensive, diet-history questionnaire. BMI was calculated using measured body height and weight. Waist circumference was measured at the level of the umbilicus.

Results

Means ± standard deviations of BMI, waist circumference, intake of water from beverages, and intake of water from foods were 21.3 ± 2.7 kg/m2, 72.9 ± 7.1 cm, 569 ± 318 g/1000 kcal, and 476 ± 110 g/1000 kcal, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, intake of water from beverages was not associated with BMI (P for trend = 0.25) or waist circumference (P for trend = 0.43). Conversely, intake of water from foods showed independent and negative associations with BMI (P for trend = 0.030) and waist circumference (P for trend = 0.0003).

Conclusion

Intake of water from foods, but not water from beverages, was independently associated with lower BMI and waist circumference in free-living humans consuming self-selected diets.

Introduction

Humans tend to consume a fairly consistent weight of food, rather than a consistent energy content [1], [2]. Because water contributes weight to foods without adding energy, it might play an important role in regulating energy balance and thus body weight and adiposity. Several studies using manipulated meals have examined the effect of water added to a meal or drinking water itself on subsequent dietary intake. In a group of lean women, water was added to the ingredients of a chicken rice casserole to make a soup, but not the same amount of water (considering as cooking losses) served with the same chicken rice casserole, was associated with reduced energy intake at the next lunch compared with their case of consuming the same rice casserole served without water [3]. Further, energy intake after the consumption of entrees of low energy density that were high in water in lean women was smaller than that after consumption of entrees of high energy density that were low in water but of the same in energy and macronutrient composition [4]. In contrast, water consumed with or before lunch did not affect energy intake in normal-weight men compared with the control condition, in which no water was served [5]. In addition, although in non-obese older men and women, premeal water drinking reduced meal energy intake compared with their case of no-preload, no such effect of water was observed in non-obese young men and women [6]. These studies suggest that when water is consumed as an integral component of a food, it promotes satiety and decreases subsequent dietary intake, thus possibly working to prevent obesity, whereas no such effect can be expected when water is consumed alone or alongside a food.

However, this hypothesis has not been researched under free-living conditions in the natural environment. In this observational cross-sectional study of free-living young Japanese women consuming self-selected diets, we examined the association of water intake from beverages and from foods with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. We hypothesized that the intake of water from foods, but not from beverages, would be associated with decreased BMI and waist circumference.

Section snippets

Subjects

The present study was based on a cross-sectional multicenter survey conducted from February to March 2006 and from January to March 2007 among female dietetic students from 15 institutions in Japan [7]. All measurements at each institution were conducted according to the survey protocol. Briefly, staff at each institution outlined the survey to potential subjects. Those who agreed to participate were then provided detailed written and oral explanations of the survey's general purpose and

Results

Selected physical, demographic, and dietary characteristics of the subjects are presented in Table 1. Mean BMI was 21.3 kg/m2, and mean waist circumference was 72.9 cm. Mean intake of water from beverages was 569 g/1000 kcal (109 g/1000 kcal for caloric beverages and 460 g/1000 kcal for non-caloric beverages), and mean intake of water from foods was 476 g/1000 kcal. Selected characteristics are listed by quintile of intake of water from beverages and water from foods in Table 2. Among women in

Discussion

As hypothesized, we found in this observational cross-sectional study of young Japanese women that, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, including macronutrient composition, intake of water from foods, but not water from beverages, was associated with lower BMI and waist circumference. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relation of intake of water from foods and from beverages with BMI and waist circumference in free-living humans consuming self-selected

Conclusion

Intake of water from foods, but not water from beverages, was independently associated with decreased BMI and waist circumference in free-living humans consuming self-selected diets. Because of the cross-sectional design, any firm conclusions regarding the influence of intake of water from foods and from beverages on obesity require additional studies.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Keika Mine, Yoko Hosoi, Mami Itabashi, Tomono Yahata, Asako Ishiwaki, and Kyoko Saito (National Institute of Health and Nutrition) for data collection.

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