Clipping Board » Eat Healthily ─ Introduction to healthy eating, medicinal cuisine, and health supplements
By Chen Yiyun
Most people believe that the primary causes of obesity are overeating or consuming the wrong types of food (such as overly greasy meals). However, multiple scientific studies from the U.S. and Japan have found that eating too quickly is more likely to lead to obesity—and its impact is even greater than eating too much or consuming overly fatty foods.
**The Brain Needs Time to Register Fullness**
When we eat, the brain requires time to receive the "I'm full" signal. According to informal statistics, it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes for the brain to recognize satiety. If we eat too quickly, we may overconsume before the brain can react, inevitably leading to weight gain.
**Eating Speed Is Proportional to Food Intake**
Professor Kathleen Melanson from the University of Rhode Island (URI) conducted a study on the relationship between eating speed and food consumption. The results showed that fast eaters consume approximately 88 grams of food per minute on average, while moderate-speed eaters consume about 71 grams per minute. Slow eaters, on the other hand, only consume around 57 grams per minute. In other words, fast eaters consume 1.54 times more food in the same amount of time compared to slow eaters.
A study from the University of Iowa yielded similar results. The experiment confirmed that if participants doubled their usual chewing frequency per bite, their food intake decreased by 15%. Another Japanese study found that when participants increased their chewing count to 88 times per meal and extended their mealtime by nearly double, their average food intake dropped from 693 grams to 528 grams—a 24% reduction.
These two experiments align with the earlier point: slowing down eating gives the brain sufficient time to register the "fullness" signal, thereby reducing overall food intake.
**Fast Eaters Have a 4.4 Times Higher Risk of Obesity Than Slow Eaters**
Researchers from Okayama University in Japan conducted a three-year survey starting in 2010, involving 1,314 freshmen. The results revealed that those who ate quickly had a 4.4 times higher risk of obesity compared to slow eaters. Additionally, fast-eating students faced a 3.5 times higher risk of entering the pre-obesity stage. When comparing obesity risks between genders, the study found that male students who ate too quickly had a 2.8 times higher risk of obesity than their female counterparts.
**Health Risks of Eating Too Fast**
Beyond increasing the likelihood of obesity, eating too quickly poses other health concerns. Aside from harming the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, and gallbladder, long-term fast eating can elevate the risk of certain chronic diseases. For example, rapid food consumption within a short period leads to a quicker spike in blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes over time. If the diet lacks sufficient fruits and vegetables while being high in meat and refined starches, it can also raise blood lipid levels.
Nutrition experts recommend chewing food thoroughly and slowly—ideally at least 15 times per bite—and avoiding rushing through meals. Each meal should take no less than 15 to 20 minutes to consume.
Source: [https://heho. com. tw/ archives/ 17346](https:/ / heho. com. tw/ archives……dium=heho& utm_campaign=click)
Research Shows: Fast Eating Increases Obesity Risk by 4.4 Times
Most people believe that the primary causes of obesity are overeating or consuming the wrong types of food (such as overly greasy meals). However, multiple scientific studies from the U.S. and Japan have found that eating too quickly is more likely to lead to obesity—and its impact is even greater than eating too much or consuming overly fatty foods.
**The Brain Needs Time to Register Fullness**
When we eat, the brain requires time to receive the "I'm full" signal. According to informal statistics, it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes for the brain to recognize satiety. If we eat too quickly, we may overconsume before the brain can react, inevitably leading to weight gain.
**Eating Speed Is Proportional to Food Intake**
Professor Kathleen Melanson from the University of Rhode Island (URI) conducted a study on the relationship between eating speed and food consumption. The results showed that fast eaters consume approximately 88 grams of food per minute on average, while moderate-speed eaters consume about 71 grams per minute. Slow eaters, on the other hand, only consume around 57 grams per minute. In other words, fast eaters consume 1.54 times more food in the same amount of time compared to slow eaters.
A study from the University of Iowa yielded similar results. The experiment confirmed that if participants doubled their usual chewing frequency per bite, their food intake decreased by 15%. Another Japanese study found that when participants increased their chewing count to 88 times per meal and extended their mealtime by nearly double, their average food intake dropped from 693 grams to 528 grams—a 24% reduction.
These two experiments align with the earlier point: slowing down eating gives the brain sufficient time to register the "fullness" signal, thereby reducing overall food intake.
**Fast Eaters Have a 4.4 Times Higher Risk of Obesity Than Slow Eaters**
Researchers from Okayama University in Japan conducted a three-year survey starting in 2010, involving 1,314 freshmen. The results revealed that those who ate quickly had a 4.4 times higher risk of obesity compared to slow eaters. Additionally, fast-eating students faced a 3.5 times higher risk of entering the pre-obesity stage. When comparing obesity risks between genders, the study found that male students who ate too quickly had a 2.8 times higher risk of obesity than their female counterparts.
**Health Risks of Eating Too Fast**
Beyond increasing the likelihood of obesity, eating too quickly poses other health concerns. Aside from harming the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, and gallbladder, long-term fast eating can elevate the risk of certain chronic diseases. For example, rapid food consumption within a short period leads to a quicker spike in blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes over time. If the diet lacks sufficient fruits and vegetables while being high in meat and refined starches, it can also raise blood lipid levels.
Nutrition experts recommend chewing food thoroughly and slowly—ideally at least 15 times per bite—and avoiding rushing through meals. Each meal should take no less than 15 to 20 minutes to consume.
Source: [https://heho. com. tw/ archives/ 17346](https:/ / heho. com. tw/ archives……dium=heho& utm_campaign=click)