Fast Eaters Get Fat

Eating slowly could help you win the battle of the bulge. A study of more than 3,000 Japanese adults published in the British Medical Journal found that those who ate their meals quickly were about twice as likely to be obese as their slow munching counterparts.



People who ate quickly and who ate until they were full were 3 times more likely to be obese. The research supports previous evidence that people tend to consume more calories when they eat quickly, but also that eating quickly is linked to obesity regardless of how many calories are eaten.

Dr Elizabeth Denney-Wilson, an obesity expert from the University of New South Wales, says research suggests people can learn to eat more slowly and recognise their internal cues for fullness.She adds that while it is not known what drives us to eat quickly, behaviour such as eating while distracted and eating fast food on the go may be to blame.

Setting aside meal times and chatting between bites can help slow the rate of eating and allow your body to send fullness signals before you've over eaten.