Making water available in school cafeterias may have played a role in decreases in students’ body mass indexes (BMIs), researchers found when reviewing the effects of a test program in New York.
The decreases in BMI were small but statistically significant, researchers at New York University Langone Medical Center report, but show the potential for reducing obesity by making water more easily available, reports UPI News Agency.
According to researchers, schools that had a water jet (electronically-powered jugs with a push lever) between 2008 and 2013 for at least three months saw a reduction in BMI of 0.025 for boys and 0.022 for girls compared to schools that did not get the dispensers. Schools with water jets also had a 0.9% drop in risk of boys being overweight and 0.6% decrease for girls.
“This study demonstrates that doing something as simple as providing free and readily available water to students may have positive impacts on their overall health, particularly weight management,” said Dr. Brian Elbel, an associate professor at NYU Langone Medical Center.
