Drinking more water helps obese children lose weight, according to researchers at the Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.

The researchers noted that drinking water not only leads to smaller consumption of soft drinks but that it also increases the metabolic processes and provides an effective mechanism for burning energy and calories.

In an article published in the International Journal of Obesity, the researchers showed that drinking water is a useful tool for monitoring weight loss.

The scientists asked 21 overweight children to drink 0.01 liters of cold mineral water for every 2 lbs of their body weight. Their metabolic processes were tested before and after drinking the water. Almost immediately after drinking the water, the metabolic process in the children’s bodies had increased, reaching its peak after an hour and rating 25 percent higher.

The researchers concluded that consuming the recommended daily amount of water for children could result in an energy expenditure equivalent to an additional weight loss of about 2.64 lbs per year.