Water and Risk of Being Overweight
Brain Gym proponents as well as some pediatric therapists have been promoting the concept that drinking water can help learning. One of the 4 components of the PACE program from Brain Gym is to drink water to provide energy for the brain. The current issue of Pediatrics reports on another benefit of water for school age children – preventing obesity. This study was done in Germany with 2950 students. The experimental group received four lessons to promote water consumption. Water fountains were installed and water consumption was measured. The results showed that the children in the water group decreased their risk of being overweight by 31% compared to the control group. There was no difference in body mass index. The intervention group drank 1.1 more glasses of water per day than the control group.
Reference: Muckelbauer, Rebecca, Libuda, Lars, Clausen, Kerstin, Toschke, Andre Michael, Reinehr, Thomas, Kersting, Mathilde Promotion and Provision of Drinking Water in Schools for Overweight Prevention: Randomized, Controlled Cluster Trial Pediatrics 2009 123: e661-e667
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