Eating too quickly tied to adiposity, cardiometabolic risk in kids

Children who eat too fast are more likely to be overweight or obese and have a poorer cardiometabolic risk profile, according to a recent study. High eating speed is also associated with lower adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that children deemed to be fast eaters saw a nearly threefold increase in the odds of overweight or obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.9, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 2.9, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.8–4.4). [J Pediatr 2022;doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.08.024]

Eating speed was assessed through a self-reported questionnaire. Children were categorized into slow-, moderate-, and fast-eating groups according to tertiles. In the analysis, children who took >85 minutes to finish a meal were deemed slow eaters. Those who ate for 66–85 and <65 minutes were classified as moderate and fast eaters, respectively.

Aside from the likelihood of overweight/obesity, fast-eating children also had significantly larger waist circumference than slow eaters (β, 2.6 cm, 95 percent CI, 1.5–3.8), according to multiple linear regression models.

The same was true for systolic blood pressure (β, 2.8 mm Hg, 95 percent CI, 0.6–4.9) and fasting plasma glucose levels (β, 2.7 mg/dL, 95 percent CI, 1.2–2.4). Concurrently, children who ate quickly showed significantly worse adherence to a Mediterranean diet (β, –0.5 points, 95 percent CI, –0.9 to –0.1).

Similarly, fat mass index (FMI) was significantly worse among fast eaters (β, 0.3, 95 percent CI, 0.1–0.5). Excluding children below the age of 5 years did not attenuate this effect (β, 0.5, 95 percent CI, 0.2–0.8; p<0.01).

Additional assessments for eating speed were conducted using the child eating behaviour questionnaire (CEBQ), which parents accomplished. Those classified as fast eaters by the CEBQ were also at higher risk of overweight/obesity (odds ratio, 4.2, 95 percent CI, 2.7–6.4) and had elevated waist circumference (β, 3.1, 95 percent CI, 2.1–4.2) and FMI (β, 0.7, 95 percent CI, 0.5–0.9).

The present study was a cross-sectional analysis of 956 children (mean age 4.8 years, 49 percent girls) enrolled in CORALS, a Spanish prospective, longitudinal study looking at obesity risk factors in schoolchildren. Anthropometric, adiposity, and blood marker measures were all assessed using the standard validated protocols.

Diet quality could factor in eating speed

In the study, the researchers found that children who finished their meals in under 65 minutes showed significantly worse adherence to a Mediterranean diet.

“This result could be explained by the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, such as its high content in plant-based foods, which provide a high amount of dietary fibre, and fish/seafood products,” they explained. The Mediterranean diet is also low in red meats and other processed foods. [Nutrients 2015;7:9139-9153]

Recent studies have found that diets high in fibre and proteins tend to boost satiety and suppress appetite, which could in turn slow eating speed. Meanwhile, sugary and highly processed foods are known to speed up eating, likely due to their palatability. [Nutrients 2012;13:2840; Eat Behav 2018;30:9-15; Cell Metab 2019;30:67-77.e3]

“In conclusion, eating fast is associated with higher levels of adiposity and certain cardiometabolic risk factors as well as lower adherence to Mediterranean diet in Spanish children,” the researchers said. “However, further long-term studies and clinical trials are required to confirm these associations.”