When it comes to weight management, scientists say that it isn’t just about what you put on your plate but also how fast you eat it, with disadvantages for digestion probable too.

Studies repeatedly show that people who eat fast tend to eat more, have a higher body max index, and gain more weight.

Nowadays this probably isn’t surprising, since the environment that we eat in has changed. Gone are the days of sitting down to eat, possibly with other people, and maybe even talking to each other. Something as simple as listening or talking to another person is enough to lengthen the time it takes to eat a meal, with some probably feeling full before they’ve finished whats on the plate.

Instead we’re now sitting in front of the TV wolfing down mouthfuls so that we don’t miss a second of Coronation Street, or we’re chomping down on a sandwich on our break watching the clock. Something as simple as this could could cause us to eat more than we would have if we’d slowed down, yet it’s probably something we’ve never even considered.

So at your next meal take some time to notice how fast you’re eating.. are you always the first one to finish? If so try to chew your food more, cut it in to smaller pieces, why not even sit at a table or talk to other humans at the same time.

Faye Prior (Researcher)

Source

Maruyama et al., (2008). The joint impact on being overweight of self reported behaviours of eating quickly and eating until full: cross sectional survey. BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2002.