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Gobbling your Food may harm your Waistline and Heart says American Heart Association

American Heart AssociationAnaheim, CA – People who eat slowly are less likely to become obese or develop metabolic syndrome, a cluster of heart disease, diabetes and stroke risk factors, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.

Faster eating speed was associated with more weight gain, higher blood glucose and larger waistline. (American Heart Association)
Faster eating speed was associated with more weight gain, higher blood glucose and larger waistline. (American Heart Association)

Metabolic syndrome occurs when someone has any of three risk factors that include abdominal obesity, high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and/or low HDL cholesterol, said Japanese researchers.

The researchers evaluated 642 men and 441 women, average age 51.2 years, who did not have metabolic syndrome in 2008. They divided the participants into three groups depending on how they described their usual eating speed: slow, normal or fast.

After five years, the researchers found:

  • Fast eaters were more likely (11.6 percent) to have developed metabolic syndrome than normal eaters (6.5 percent) or slow eaters (2.3 percent);
  • Faster eating speed was associated with more weight gain, higher blood glucose and larger waistline.

“Eating more slowly may be a crucial lifestyle change to help prevent metabolic syndrome,” said Takayuki Yamaji, M.D., study author and cardiologist at Hiroshima University in Japan. “When people eat fast they tend not to feel full and are more likely to overeat. Eating fast causes bigger glucose fluctuation, which can lead to insulin resistance. We also believe our research would apply to a U.S. population.”

Takayuki Yamaji, M.D., Hiroshima University, Japan.

Presentation Location: Population Science Section, Science and Technology Hall

Additional Resources:

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke.

To learn more or to get involved, call 1.800.AHA.USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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