Frankfurt, Germany  - Drinking water before a meal appears to curb the appetite, according to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksbury, Virginia.

The researchers reported the findings of a study they conducted involving overweight and obese people in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, a trade magazine published in the United States.

The study was discussed recently at a forum on drinking water in Frankfurt.

The overweight and obese people, who took part in the study, drank a half litre of water before breakfast. Their calorie intake during breakfast sank by about 75 calories. Over the course of a year, this equals 27,375 calories or the equivalent of three kilogrammes of fat. (dpa)