Meal Type Crucial for Eating Speed and Health

Amid rising obesity rates, a new study suggests that the type of meal you choose may play a more critical role in promoting healthy eating habits than previously thought. Researchers from Fujita Health University in Japan, led by professor Katsumi Iizuka, found that selecting meals that require slow, deliberate eating could be an effective strategy for weight control and better digestion.

“Our study shows that simply choosing the right type of meal — such as a bento instead of fast food — can naturally extend meal duration and encourage more mindful eating,” Iizuka said in a news release.

Research Methodology and Findings

The research, published in the journal Nutrients, involved 41 adults (18 males and 23 females, aged 20 to 65).

The participants consumed three types of meals — pizza, hamburger steak bento with vegetables eaten first, and the same bento with vegetables eaten last — over several weeks.

The participants wore chewing sensors and were video-monitored to measure meal duration, number of chews and bites, and chewing tempo.

This is what the researchers found:

• Pizza, often consumed quickly and by hand, led to shorter meal durations and fewer chews.

• Bento meals — eaten with chopsticks and consisting of individual components like rice, vegetables and meat — took more time to eat and required more chewing.

• For all three meal types, the number of bites remained consistent and there was a slight difference (though statistically significant differences) in chewing tempo.

“One key factor affecting meal speed is how the food is served and eaten. Bento meals are served in small portions that need to be picked up with chopsticks, which slows down the process,” added Iizuka. “In contrast, pizza is eaten by hand and is often designed to be eaten quickly. This difference in serving style plays a big role in how fast people eat.”

Interestingly, the study also explored demographic differences, revealing that men generally ate faster and chewed less than women. However, the trend of bento meals taking longer held consistent across genders.

Additionally, older participants tended to eat faster than younger ones, possibly due to changes in dental health or chewing ability.

The study challenged stereotypes by finding no association between BMI and meal duration, suggesting that the preference for easy-to-eat foods like pizza might contribute to faster meals and overeating.

Implications and Future Directions

The research suggests focusing less on advising people on “how” to chew and more on encouraging choices of foods that require slow, deliberate eating can be a practical tool in combating obesity and related diseases.

“If we want to help people eat more slowly, we should focus less on telling them how to chew and more on helping them choose meals that require slower, more deliberate eating; this could be a simple yet powerful tool in our fight against obesity and related diseases,” Iizuka added.

In conclusion, making simple dietary changes, like opting for traditional bento-style meals over fast food, can naturally slow down eating, increase chewing and support healthier habits. As obesity rates continue to climb, focusing on what we eat, rather than just how we eat, could be a practical and effective strategy for better nutrition and long-term well-being.

Source: Fujita Health University