While drugs like Ozempic are having a moment for being an important weapon in the war against unwanted body weight, scientists are still looking towards other methods for managing obesity without resorting to medicine. To that end, researchers at Fujita Health University in Toyoake, Japan have re-visited the long held belief that chewing more is a great way to chase away unwanted calories. And, not only did they get their teeth into some great data, but the experts also found a way to promote this healthy behavior.
The groundbreaking study is in sharp contrast to big pharma since it focuses on practical and cost free methods to promote weight loss by slowing down how long it takes for people to eat. “These are easy, money-saving measures that can be started right away to help prevent obesity,” said Professor Katsumi Iizuka, who led the project.
For the study, 33 healthy people between the ages of 20 and 65 were each given a slice of pizza and ate them under different conditions. During the analysis, participants were given their pizza while listening to various rhythms containing a different frequency of beats. The experts hoped to find out how these different stimuli effected meal duration by tracking data such as the number of chews and the tempo of the chewing.
The experts noted a surprising difference between genders right from the beginning. Apparently, women took longer to eat the pizza in general, averaging 87 seconds per slice compared with 63 seconds for the men. Women also chewed significantly more times than men. As expected, more chewing made for longer eating times, but when the participants were exposed to different beats, the biting differed further.
When both genders were exposed to a slow metronome rhythm containing approximately 40 beats per minute, the mealtimes extended further. The scientists believe that these findings are particularly relevant because they present a fresh method of weight management. Instead of targeting just the food content, future programs could teach people new behaviors around eating, such as taking smaller bites and chewing for longer.
This work also builds on a 2023 study that that showed slower eating can reduce overall meal intake resulting in a lower BMI. “Incorporating the proposed eating behavior into school lunches and other programs can lead to the prevention of future diseases related to obesity,” suggests Professor Iizuka. With rates of severely overweight populations rising out of control, leading to health complications such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and fatty liver disease, the act of listening to slower tempo music at mealtimes is something that scientists now hope to study in greater detail in the hopes of turning the tide against obesity.
Continue reading...
The groundbreaking study is in sharp contrast to big pharma since it focuses on practical and cost free methods to promote weight loss by slowing down how long it takes for people to eat. “These are easy, money-saving measures that can be started right away to help prevent obesity,” said Professor Katsumi Iizuka, who led the project.
How Was the Study Carried Out?
For the study, 33 healthy people between the ages of 20 and 65 were each given a slice of pizza and ate them under different conditions. During the analysis, participants were given their pizza while listening to various rhythms containing a different frequency of beats. The experts hoped to find out how these different stimuli effected meal duration by tracking data such as the number of chews and the tempo of the chewing.
What Were the Results?
The experts noted a surprising difference between genders right from the beginning. Apparently, women took longer to eat the pizza in general, averaging 87 seconds per slice compared with 63 seconds for the men. Women also chewed significantly more times than men. As expected, more chewing made for longer eating times, but when the participants were exposed to different beats, the biting differed further.
When both genders were exposed to a slow metronome rhythm containing approximately 40 beats per minute, the mealtimes extended further. The scientists believe that these findings are particularly relevant because they present a fresh method of weight management. Instead of targeting just the food content, future programs could teach people new behaviors around eating, such as taking smaller bites and chewing for longer.
This work also builds on a 2023 study that that showed slower eating can reduce overall meal intake resulting in a lower BMI. “Incorporating the proposed eating behavior into school lunches and other programs can lead to the prevention of future diseases related to obesity,” suggests Professor Iizuka. With rates of severely overweight populations rising out of control, leading to health complications such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and fatty liver disease, the act of listening to slower tempo music at mealtimes is something that scientists now hope to study in greater detail in the hopes of turning the tide against obesity.
Continue reading...
