A study of Japanese adults with diabetes found a possible link between eating slowly and maintaining a healthy body weight, according to a research in BMJ Open.
For the study, researchers examined the health records of nearly 60,000 Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes, covering up to 6 years of medical check ups. During checkups, patients were asked whether they considered their eating speed fast, normal or slow. This could be relevant to weight control, since fast eaters may consume excessive calories before their brains catch up with their stomachs, whereas slow eaters may feel satisfied with smaller portions.
At the start of the study period, roughly a third of patients reported that they ate quickly. Compared with fast eaters, normal-speed eaters were 29% less likely to be obese, defined in this population as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Those who said they ate slowly were 42% less likely to be obese. This work adds to the body of data suggesting that slowing down at meal times is one strategy to achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight.