Eating fast is a habit that many people do unconsciously, but it is an inconvenient habit in terms of general health, especially digestive health. Internal Diseases Specialist Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk emphasized that apart from the generally known dangers, those who swallow their bites without chewing enough and eat very fast are faced with the risk of obesity.

Reminding that obesity is one of the most important health problems in the world today due to the problems it causes and may cause, Internal Diseases Specialist Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk stated that a scientific study conducted in 2020 revealed that fast eaters consume more food to satiate than slow eaters. According to a study conducted by Dutch scientists on 60 volunteers and published in the journal 'American Journal of Clinical Nutrition' in 2020; The more the eating speed decreases, the longer the chewing is prolonged, the feeling of satiety can be achieved with less food.

Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Internal Medicine Specialist. Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk stated that although it is not correct to generalize according to this study, similar studies confirm this thesis and added as follows: "A larger amount of food intake in fast eaters means more calorie intake. This situation actually creates a serious risk factor for obesity. As a result, obesity is caused by the imbalance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure."

Eating Fast Creates Obesity Risk

Spc. Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk stated that people who eat fast have a higher risk of obesity than those who eat slowly. Stating that it is necessary to know two important concepts in order to understand the study more clearly, Spc. Dr. Öztürk continued his words as follows: "One of them (ADM) is intraoral sensory exposure, that is, the sensory sensation perceived through receptors on the tongue. ADM is at a higher level with longer chewing time or solid-shaped foods, while it decreases with liquid or puree-style foods and as the chewing time decreases. The other concept, is the Eating Speed."

Stating that there were basically 4 groups and a control group in the study, Dr. M. Akif Öztürk stated, "Volunteers were divided into groups with different eating patterns and monitored. Volunteers in each group were subjected to satiety tests intermittently. Also, blood samples of volunteers were taken in the first minutes of their feeding and at the end, and blood glucose, insulin ghrelin and pancreatic peptide hormone levels were measured."

Solid Food Keeps You Full

Another result of the study is that when the food eaten is not a mash-like food that can be eaten quickly without chewing, it is possible to be satiated with fewer nutrients as the sensory exposure in the mouth increases. Dr. M. Akif Öztürk added that from this point of view, foods that are swallowed quickly such as puree should not be preferred too much, except in cases that are not compulsory in daily life.

Eating Fast Makes You Hungry Quickly

Stating that another parameter observed in the research group was a link between fast eating and satiety, Dr. Öztürk stated, "The feeling of hunger is also less with foods that require more chewing time. In addition, the need for another meal after the ordinary one is also less. The research indicates that those who eat faster get hungry more quickly in the after-meal period," 

Each Bite Should Be Chewed for At Least 15 Seconds

Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk warned that eating slower can increase satiety hormone levels, help to feel full more quickly and reduce calorie intake, and also stated that it is possible to change the fast-eating behavior. Pointing out that the importance of the issue should be emphasized, and education should be given in order to create a certain awareness on this issue, Dr. Öztürk stated, "Instead of eating basic foods that are easy to digest and can be swallowed without chewing, it should be preferred to eat more complex, healthier foods with slower digestion and absorption. In this regard, especially nutrition arrangements can be made with foods that are more suitable, with the support of a physician or dietician. In addition, I recommend that the chewing time should be adjusted to be at least 15 seconds per bite".

A More Comprehensive Study Compared to Previous Studies

Stating that a similar study supporting this study was previously conducted in Japan, but the difference in this latest study conducted by Dutch scientists is that insulin levels were also measured at various stages of food intake, especially in the first minutes. Dr. Öztürk underlined that this study was also more comprehensive in terms of the selection of patients and optimization of conditions that may affect the result compared to other studies.

Pointing out that although it is not correct to generalize based only on this study, similar studies confirm this thesis, Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk also added the following: "In fast eaters, more food intake means more calorie intake. This situation actually creates a serious risk factor for obesity. After all, obesity is caused by the imbalance between calories in and calories out. Of course, losing weight by eating slowly alone will not be enough. As a result, optimal weight control can be achieved by limiting not only calorie intake but also the calories spent by people at a certain level. But we can easily say that with slow eating, we can create a starting point on the way to healthy eating by creating a controllable eating behavior as well as needing less food."

"According to the study, insulin release in fast eaters is less in the first minutes and at the end of the meal compared to slow eaters," stated Dr. Mehmet Akif Öztürk. He also gave the following information: "This means less utilization of a key hormone such as insulin, especially when we consider diabetics."

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