People who eat greedily and quickly should slow down if they want to keep off the pounds, says a study published in the online version of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism on October 29, 2009. Although previous research has suggested that the rate at which people eat may contribute to obesity, this study was the first to measure how appetite and hormonal
responses after meals affect weight gain.

The researchers had study participants eat the same meal at varying speeds to determine whether peptides in the gut elicited different postmeal responses. The scientists also measured subjects’ levels of glucose, insulin and blood lipids at the start and end of each eating session. The participants’ subjective feelings of hunger and fullness were noted throughout each timed meal session.

The researchers concluded that those who ate quickly had a harder time feeling full and wanted to
eat more. This was because eating at a quick rate
curtails the release of hormones that induce feelings
of satiety, and this decrease in hormone levels often leads to overeating.