New research reveals that the speed of eating also plays a factor in weight gain, as fast eaters have a higher chance of getting fat while slow eaters may lose weight.
The study also tags the time that people eat as one of the factors in weight gain or weight loss. The time that it takes for a person to eat and the time at which the person eats are both factors when it comes to obesity prevention.
Eating Slowly May Help Lose Weight
In a study published in the BMJ Open, researchers analyzed data from almost 60,000 people in Japan with type 2 diabetes who came in for medical appointments between 2008 and 2013. During the check-ups, the people answered questions on their eating and sleeping habits, including how fast they usually ate their meals.
Out of all the respondents, only 7 percent said that they were slow eaters, compared to over half of them saying that they ate at normal speed and about a third of them saying that they ate quickly. An analysis of these answers compared to the BMI and waist measurements of the respondents revealed that slow eaters had a 42 percent lower chance of being obese compared to fast eaters, while people who ate at normal speed had a 29 percent lower chance.
The results of the analysis matches findings of previous studies that people who eat faster gain more weight. The connection between eating speed and weight gain is said to be due to the satiety hormones, which make the body feel fuller when eating slowly compared to eating the same amount of food quickly.
Eat Your Breakfast, Don't Eat Midnight Snacks
The check-ups involved in the study also asked respondents whether they regularly skipped eating breakfast, and if they usually ate snacks between dinner and going to bed.
The study associated skipping breakfast with obesity and excess weight, also confirming previous studies on the importance of breakfast for people who want to lose weight. In addition, people who eat snacks late at night compared to those who do not eat hours before sleeping were found to have a greater risk of being overweight.
Losing Weight Not That Easy
Eating slowly, eating breakfast, and not eating midnight snacks are not the only things that people need to do to lose weight though. Shedding excess pounds is not an easy task.
There have been various studies on losing weight, with each offering insights on different methods. Two recent examples of weight loss tips are standing for six hours a day instead of sitting and losing weight with your partner.
