Eat fast – eat more,
Eat slowly – eat less.
Rhymes I came up with in the past, and they are more relevant than ever these days.
Fast eating is a very common habit at all times – but especially these days. Why is it important to pay attention to this? Many studies indicate that fast eating may lead to weight gain and obesity.
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When does the feeling of fullness appear?
Our sense of fullness develops when the stomach sends signals to the brain, a process that takes about 20 minutes from the moment eating begins. When we eat quickly, we may consume large amounts of food before the brain receives the signals indicating fullness, and this of course leads to overeating and weight gain.
For example, I want to describe a large Japanese study on the subject that was published in BMJ, which examined over 3,000 men and women aged 30–69. The participants filled out questionnaires about their eating habits, including eating pace and sense of fullness. The results showed that people who ate quickly until feeling full were three times more likely to be obese compared to those who ate slowly and not until fullness.
Another study, also long and thorough, followed about 1,000 adults over five years. This study found that 11.6% of fast eaters developed metabolic syndrome (diabetes, abdominal fat, risk of heart disease), compared to 6.5% of those who ate at a normal pace and 2.3% of slow eaters. Not only that – fast eaters showed an average increase of 4 cm in waist circumference and 5.3 kg in body weight during the five years of follow-up.
A study published in the scientific journal Appetite found that children who eat quickly tend to consume more calories and are at higher risk of obesity. The study emphasized the importance of encouraging children to eat more slowly as part of a strategy to prevent obesity.
Why does this happen?
The effect of eating pace on blood sugar levels and fullness
Slow eating allows a gradual rise in blood sugar levels during the meal, which contributes to insulin secretion and an earlier feeling of fullness.
When eating quickly, blood sugar levels do not rise sufficiently during the meal, causing the brain not to receive fullness signals in time. If you eat the same number of calories within five minutes – you feel much less full compared to eating the same amount over 40 minutes, which may lead to unnecessary eating later in the day.
You have probably noticed that if in a restaurant the main course was brought half an hour after the first course, you were already quite full and perhaps did not finish the dish.
Chewing and the feeling of fullness
Prolonged chewing and slow eating also affect hunger and satiety mechanisms through several physiological mechanisms:
Effect on satiety hormones
Slower chewing increases the secretion of satiety hormones. There is a hormone secreted in the intestine after eating that helps slow gastric emptying and increases the feeling of fullness, and another hormone secreted from the digestive system that signals to the brain that the body is full.
Recognition of fullness by the brain
When we chew food well, eating becomes slower, which allows the brain enough time to recognize that we are full.
The Japanese study published in Obesity claims that people who chewed each bite 30 times consumed 12% fewer calories in a meal compared to those who chewed only 10 times.
Okay, maybe it is an exaggeration to chew each bite 30 times – I tried, and it is quite impossible, but as an experiment it is quite interesting to do it once.
Effect on the feeling of satisfaction from food
Prolonged chewing increases exposure to flavors and leads to greater satisfaction from the meal. Studies have shown that people who chew more slowly report less need for snacking after the meal compared to fast eaters.
Health importance for food breakdown and digestion
Better chewing leads to better breakdown of food before it reaches the digestive system. This not only improves nutrient absorption but also reduces the load on the stomach, which can prevent digestive issues such as bloating and gas.
In summary, thorough chewing and slow eating are important tools in maintaining a healthy weight, controlling appetite, and improving digestion. So just pay attention to yourselves these days. As much as possible, slowing down the pace of eating through better chewing can help reduce calorie intake, prolong the feeling of fullness, and reduce the risk of obesity.