Dr. Z is sharing this article from: Healthy Aging Review
Do you scarf down a meal like you just spent 40 days in the Sahara Desert without food? Or do you savor every flavor? Beware speed-eaters. If you eat in record time, you are more likely to gain weight.
A study from New Zealand has found that women who inhaled their food were heavier than women that slowly chewed their food completely. Approximately 1,600 women between 40 and 50 years old were asked to rate how quickly they ate and provide their height, weight, and other lifestyle factors. About 32% of women were fast eaters, while 15% considered themselves slow eaters. Those that ate the slowest had the lowest body mass index. Researchers suggest that speed-eating can influence how many calories are taken in before you feel full.
Eating behaviors can become habitual, which makes speed-eating a hard habit to break. To develop healthier eating habits, focus on eating. Don’t be preoccupied by watching television or rushing to eat before your next appointment. Instead of standing in the kitchen with a box of cereal in one hand and chocolate bar in the other, sit down at a kitchen table with a good nutrient-dense meal to stay more focused on the eating task at hand.
By: Alan Muir
Reference:
Leong SL, Madden C, Gray A, Waters D, Horwarth C. Faster self-reported speed of eating is related to higher body mass index in a nationwide survey of middle-aged women. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Aug;111(8):1192-1197.
