Eating too fast can lead to metabolic syndrome stroke heart disease and other medical problems

According to new research, eating slower could make you less likely to become obese or develop metabolic syndrome – a combination of disorders that increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and strokes.

Those disorders include high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, and low HDL cholesterol levels. They can all be harmful on their own, but if they're diagnosed together, then the chance of developing cardiovascular problems goes up even further.


Eating quickly can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar which then promotes insulin resistance.

Back in 2008, a team from Hiroshima University in Japan looked at 642 men and 441 women with an average age of 51.2 years, none of whom had metabolic syndrome.

They were divided into three groups – slow eaters, average paced eaters and fast eaters. Five years later, the researchers reassessed the participants.

They found that those who ate quickly were 11.6% more likely to have developed metabolic syndrome than normal eaters (6.5%) and slow eaters (2.3%).

And eating quickly was also associated with weight gain because there isn’t enough time for the brain to process what the body is consuming. The slower you eat, the more conscious the brain is of how full the body is becoming – so you’re more likely to stop eating earlier on.

‘Eating more slowly may be a crucial lifestyle change to help prevent metabolic syndrome,’ says Takayuki Yamaji, M.D., study author and cardiologist at Hiroshima University.

‘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.

Try counting how many times you chew for a day and see if that helps to make you more conscious of speed. You’ll be amazed at how much food we swallow when it’s still solid.

The American Heart Association recommends eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as exercising more, as ways to reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

The latest study shows that the modern-day trend of grabbing a quick bite to eat isn't ideal for a healthy heart, according to Jeremy Pearson, the Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, who wasn't involved in the research.

"If anything, [this is] a reminder that many of us have hectic lifestyles which may include eating quickly at the desk over lunchtime, or in a rush commuting home," says Pearson.

"When doing this, it's important that people take the time to choose healthy balanced options, rather than just reaching for ready meals or takeaways."

The study was presented at American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017 .