As a kid, you probably heard it all the time from your parents: Eat more slowly during dinnertime. But according to a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this just isn’t a nagging concern–it could also help you lose weight.
Investigating the effects of digestion on total calorie consumption among American adults, researchers from Texas Christian University found that people who ate more slowly consumed around 100 fewer calories than those who ate at a more rapid pace.
However, these effects were less pronounced in those described as overweight or obese.
“Slowing the speed of eating led to a significant reduction in energy intake in the normal-weight group, but not in the overweight or obese group,” says Meena Shah, a professor of kinesiology at Texas Christian University and lead author of the study. “In both groups, ratings of hunger were significantly lower at 60 minutes from when the meal began during the slow compared to the fast eating condition.”
Studying a group of people described as being normal to obese, Shah asked them to eat a meal in a controlled environment, first asking them to eat the meal at a slow pace. After the meal was finished, the participants’ satiety levels before and after the meal were collected, along with the total amount of calories and water consumed.
Then Shah asked the participants to eat a second meal, but under different circumstances–they were asked to eat quickly and rapidly.
The result? People ate more calories and felt less satiated following a meal consumed rapidly–evidence that may suggest slowing down to eat could make it easier to lose weight.
“These results indicate that greater hunger suppression among both groups could be expected from a meal that is consumed more slowly,” says Shah.
In addition, she says that those who ate more slowly consumed more water, which may have helped them consumed even fewer calories by causing stomach distention–a factor that can lead to premature fullness and satiety.
“Water consumption was higher during the slow compared to the fast eating condition by 27 percent in the normal weight and 33 percent in the overweight or obese group,” says Shah. “The higher water intake during the slow eating condition probably caused stomach distention and may have affected food consumption.”
What You Should Do
If you’re trying to lose weight, what you eat may not be as important as how you eat–or in this case, how fast you eat. To keep calories low and improve satiety levels, eat more slowly by chewing food thoroughly and setting down your fork or spoon between bites of foods. Sipping water between bites can also improve satiety levels and keep those calories low.
As for why the effects of slow eating didn’t have such a pronounced effect on overweight people, Shah says it may be because they felt more self-conscious about eating–something else you could learn from.
Readers: Do you try to eat slowly during a meal? Why or why not?
Source:
Slow Eating Equals Less Hunger – RedOrbit.com
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