Eating Too Quickly Linked to Obesity, Heart Disease and Diabetes

According to a new study, presented at the America Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, shows that eating quickly may increase you risk of becoming obese or developing metabolic syndrome. The study study suggests that you must eat slowly to promote overall health and well-being because the quicker you eat, the more likely are you to overeat. Moreover, eating quickly may cause sudden and frequent fluctuations in your blood sugar levels that may lead to insulin resistance. 

For the study, a team of scientists from the Hiroshima University in Japan examined 642 men and 441 women with an average age of 51.2 years. None of them had metabolic syndrome at the start of the study back in 2008.

The participants were divided into three categories based on how they their usual eating speed: slow, normal or fast. A a period of five years, the team found that fast eaters were more likely (11.6 per cent) to have developed metabolic syndrome than those who ate at a normal speed. (6.5 per cent) and slow eaters (2.3 per cent). 

Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of health issues or conditions that may lead to diabetes, obesity or heart disease.  The team concluded that eating fast is linked to factors such as unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure and unstable levels of blood glucose. 

They explain that taking time to chew your slow and swallow it properly gives your brain time to process the feeling of fullness which may signal you to stop eating earlier and prevent unnecessary bingeing. When people eat at a fast pace, the brain may not be able to process the feelings of fullness and therefore you may be left unsatisfied which leads to overeating even when you are not hungry anymore.