Something as simple as drinking water before every meal might help people lose weight, maybe even curb obesity rates, University of Birmingham researchers argue in a new report.

The scientists explain that, as part of an investigation into tips and tricks on how to control appetite, they asked a group of 41 volunteers to drink 500 milliliters (17 ounces) of water before each meal over a 12-week period.

The study participants were clearly told that sparkling water, sodas or sweetened drinks were not an option. The one thing that was allowed was plain water, be it of the bottled variety or simply from their taps.

The volunteers who stuck to this otherwise insignificant change in their daily routine and consumed water before each meal lost an average 4.3 kilograms (9.6 pounds) over the study period, EurekAlert informs.

Those who only remembered to drink water before just one meal also lost weight, albeit merely 0.8 kilograms (roughly 1.8 pounds), the University of Birmingham researchers detail.

By comparison, another 43 volunteers who were instead asked to imagine being full before sitting down to eat lost an average 1.3 kilograms (2.9 pounds) less than the avid water drinkers.

“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,” researcher Helen Parretti commented on the study and its findings.