The Effects of Eating Speed

When we want to lose weight, most of us tend to focus on creating a calorie deficit and may overlook other factors.

Contrary to popular belief, creating a calorie deficit is not the only factor in weight management. Eating speed can also have an effect on the process.

A study carried out in 2014 looked at the effect of eating speed on calorie intake and the feeling of fullness. It found that eating slowly increased the rate at which people felt full and in this way reduced calorie intake.

A review published in 2015 to investigate the effects of eating speed brought together data from a total of 23 studies. When fast eaters were compared with slow eaters, a significant difference of 1.78 kg/m2 on average was seen in body mass index 2

A study carried out on women in 2008 gave results in line with the other studies. Women who ate slowly were found to have a lower total calorie intake and to feel full sooner.

So what can we do to eat our meals more slowly?

• First of all, cutting your food into small pieces as you eat will slow your eating speed and make it easier to reach the feeling of fullness.
• You can put your fork or spoon down on the table after each mouthful.
• Prepare a plate rather than putting everything on the table. That way, even if your plate is finished early, you have limited yourself, and over time your eating speed will slow down.
• Counting to ten in your head while chewing a mouthful can also help you control your speed.
• Eating while busy with the television or phone, or eating standing up, can lead to uncontrolled, fast eating, so try to eat sitting down as far as possible.
• When watching a series or film, you can control both your speed and calorie intake by making your snack portions smaller and swapping them for healthier alternatives.
• Putting your fork or spoon down between mouthfuls and pausing before the next one can also make it easier to eat slowly.

Practical Tips for Slowing Down Your Eating

• Keep mouthfuls small and chew each one without hurrying.
• Try putting your fork or spoon down on the plate between mouthfuls.
• Allow at least 15-20 minutes for meals; it takes time for fullness signals to reach the brain.
• Keep distractions such as the phone and television away from the table.
• Start the meal with fibre-rich, high-volume foods such as vegetables, salad or soup.
• Avoid leaving long gaps between meals so that you do not get too hungry.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.