A lot of people complain about how they can’t lose weight no matter what they do. They exercise on a regular basis, regulate their nutrition with less carbs, sugar and fats, and concentrate on mindful eating. However, the numbers on the scale are the same. A study in the BMJ Open suggests that the key is in eating slower to lose weight.
The researchers observed the data from 60,000 people who have diabetes over a six-year period. They observed their checkups over the years where those people were asked about their lifestyle and eating habits. One of the questions included how fast they tended to eat and use alcohol. They were asked about the time of their dinner and whether they went to bed soon after dinner or not. Also, they were asked about the times of eating breakfast and eating snacks after dinner.
According to that data, eating faster had an impact on people’s weight compared to the people who ate at a normal speed. People who decided to eat slower to lose weight, started losing weight during the study. Their results were measured by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
It was an observational study, rather than a study where participants are getting assigned in random groups and requested to eat at different rates. Another reason this was considered an observational study was because people don’t always remember their eating habits, so the study is believed to be not absolutely accurate.
The results correspond with other studies, which suggest that some people who tend to eat at a faster pace will gain more weigh and gain weigh over time. This doesn’t only have to do with the amount of food consumed, but it is also connected with the satiety hormones. These hormones govern the feeling of fullness and make us stop eating. In another study, people were asked to eat ice cream slower, which caused more of their gut hormones to be secreted, which made more people report that they were feeling fuller.
However, the research indicates that the timing of our meals are nearly as important as the food that we consume. For example, people who practice eating late at night could risk having metabolic syndrome and obesity, while people who eat several hours before they go to sleep don’t as much.
As well, eating breakfast is also supported by the new research.
“Skipping breakfast has also been shown to be associated with excess weight and obesity, and is a risk factor of metabolic syndrome,” the authors wrote in their study. “Our model revealed that consistently eating breakfast can reduce obesity, which also corroborates the findings of previous studies.”
So, the conclusion of the study is that we need to keep in mind to eat slower and not to eat just before bedtime. Also, it’s of great importance to continue eating breakfast which helps regulate our weight and enhance metabolic health. Of course, it’s also of great importance to continue maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eat healthy food.
