Are you a speed eater
26 Aug 2010

Are you a speed eater?

2 mins to read
It’s not only what you eat that has an impact your weight, but also how fast you eat it. Online personal trainer Andrew Cate investigates how speed eating affects your body shape.


How does eating speed impact your weight?

The theory that eating too quickly causes you to eat more has been around for a while. It’s thought that faster eating does not allow your body time to feel full, and the result is that you overeat. Fast eating is also thought to reduce the level of appetite suppressing hormones, so you keep on eating because your hunger isn’t satisfied. In addition, fast eating may have a negative effect on your absorption of nutrients, and in turn your metabolic rate. Eating quickly may prevent food from being chewed thoroughly, making it harder for your digestive tract to absorb nutrients from larger food particles.

The research

Recent research has indicated that eating slowly may help people to eat less and reduce their kilojoule intake. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism compared the hunger response in volunteers who ate the same meal on different days, but at different speeds. In the first session, subjects ate 300 ml of ice cream (about 2 1/2 scoops) divided into two equal portions consumed 5 minutes apart. In the second session, they ate 300 ml of ice cream divided into seven equal portions every 5 minutes, consumed within 30 minutes.

The results showed that slow eating increased the level of two appetite-lowering hormones (called peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1). These levels remained high for 2 1/2 hours after eating slowly. Slow eating was also associated with higher fullness ratings immediately after the meal compared to fast eating.

Practical tips to help you eat slower

Eating slowly may seem simple enough, but the speed at which you eat is a habit, and slowing it down may take time. Following are some strategies to help reduce your eating speed. 

  • Try to spend at least 30 minutes enjoying your food. Take small bites and chew your food thoroughly, savoring the taste, aroma and texture of each mouthful.
  • Have a small pause, or enjoy a small sip of water between mouthfuls. 
  • Use small eating utensils and serving dishes.
  • If you are going to eat a treat, such as chocolate or ice cream, eat extra slowly. Really savour it, and keep your portions small. 
  • Try to avoid using external cues to tell you when to stop eating, such as when you’re plate is clean, when everyone else at the table is finished, or when a TV show is over. 
  • Try to rely on internal signals by only eating when you’re hungry, and only having enough to no longer feel hungry. Eat slowly till you’re satisfied, but not until you’re stuffed.

References available on request



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