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。
A study found overweight adults lost nearly 10lb in 12 weeks after drinking water half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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。
Researchers say it could provide a low-cost solution to Britain's escalating obesity crisis.
试验招募了肥胖的成年人，并向他们提供了体重管理咨询。
The trial saw obese adults recruited and given a weight management consultation.
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。
They were advised on lifestyle and dietary changes and how to improve their levels of physical activity.
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。
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.
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。
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.
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。
Sparkling water, sodas and sweetened drinks were not allowed and participants drank plain tap water.
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。
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 simplicity. Just drinking a pint of water, three times a day, before your main meals may help reduce your weight.
"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。
"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.
"尤其是这并不会占用我们日常生活中太多时间。"
"It's something that doesn't take much work to integrate into our busy everyday lives."
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。
Many weight-loss programmes advise people to drink water, but no previous studies directly tested this.
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。"
Last night Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, 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.
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。"
Dr Louis Levy, head of nutrition science at Public Health England, said "thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger".
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。"
He added: "Whilst water does not cause you to lose weight, it does keep you hydrated and might help you to eat less."