Can Eating Food Quickly Result in Becoming Overweight?

Does eating quickly make a person overweight?

University of Roehampton and Bristol University researchers surveyed 800 volunteers about their weight and eating habits and found that those who eat quickly are more likely to be overweight.

The participants included adults and children, which the researchers found that both groups do not differ much in terms of the effects of eating fast on becoming obese.

The researchers found that if both children and adults are quick eaters, they develop larger waistlines and higher body mass index (BMI), MailOnline reported.

Their findings shed light on the long-held misconceptions that adults are not affected much compared to children by eating at a fast pace.

Eating Food Quickly More Likely to Result in Becoming Overweight [STUDY] Unsplash

Eating Quickly and Weight Gain

The study, entitled "Associations between number of siblings, birth order, eating rate and adiposity in children and adults" published in Clinical Obesity, found that faster eating was significantly associated with a higher BMI and larger waist circumference in children and adults.

According to 2021 NHS data, 67% of adult men and 60% of women are overweight or obese in the UK. Meanwhile, the country also records the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe with one out of 10 in children aged four to five are classified as obese and increases to one out of five by the age of 11.

Lead researchers Dr. Leigh Gibson said that the study confirms that adults are affected the same way as children in eating quickly.

"By assessing both adults and children, we were able to debunk the notion that adults are immune from the effect of eating quickly on obesity that has been established in children,' Gibson added.

Ultimately, their study suggests that the best way for anyone to lose weight is by slowly eating. "By slowing down and taking longer to eat our meals, we can keep our waistlines and BMIs in check," the researchers said.

Birth Order and Weight Gain

The study also showed that the birth order of siblings determines how quickly they eat food, MailOnline reported. First-borns were twice as likely to eat faster compared to their siblings.

On the other hand, those without siblings reported eating slower than adults who were not first-born. But children in Bristol with more siblings are associated with eating faster.

Adults in London with siblings reportedly eat slower than those people with two or more siblings. Meanwhile, those people with only one sibling are also linked to eating faster.

Eating Fast Could Lead to Other Health Problems

Healthline reported that eating fast does not only increases the risk of becoming overweight or obese but is also linked to other health problems.

For instance, eating too quickly is associated with a higher risk of insulin resistance wherein blood sugar and insulin levels increase, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

A study, entitled "Fast eating and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study," found that fast eaters are 2.5 times more likely to get type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Lastly, eating fast could lead to poor digestion as fast eaters take larger bites and chew their food less.