by Anna Fregonara
A study shows that eating fast leads to a greater risk, over the years, of becoming obese and developing metabolic alterations
Haste is said to be a bad advisor. And so is the speed with which you eat. Some scholars, we read in The Journal of Pediatrics, have divided a sample of 956 children aged 3-6 according to the estimated speed of consumption by adding up the total minutes used in each of the three main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). They then classified the three groups as slow (over 85 minutes total), moderate (66-85 minutes), or fast (65 minutes or less) eaters. The data indicate that compared to slow eaters, fast eaters have a higher risk of overweight and obesity, have higher waist circumference, fat mass index, systolic blood pressure and fasting glucose levels, but have lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
Overweight or obese kids: what risks
The correlation confirms what was already known: the higher the overweight and obesity levels, the greater the risk of metabolic alterations, with the possible early onset of cardiovascular disorders, explains Nicola Principi, emeritus professor of Pediatrics at the University of Milan and member of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics. For scientists, the weight-youth concern started taking off in the 1980s and 1990s. Today in Italy, among school-age subjects, approximately 20% are overweight and just under 10% obese, values that can be generalized worldwide.
The role of genes
Obesity, like all eating and weight disorders, has a genesis of genetic and environmental factors. In any case, the main component is the environmental one, linked to a sedentary lifestyle and dietary style with large consumption of ultra-processed foods with a high caloric density, rich in salt, sugars and fats. They are tasty, soft and chewable foods, so they are eaten more and have taken over even in the cradles of good nutrition such as Spain, Italy or Japan were. Stefano Erzegovesi, nutritionist and psychiatrist, expert in preventive nutrition and eating disorders . Furthermore, it has been shown that the rate at which children eat is equal to that of their parents.
The example
Erzegovesi continues: The example matters a lot: not only bring the right food to the table, but also the way in which it is consumed. We also take into account a psychological characteristic: parents with high self-efficacy, therefore with the sincere belief that habits can be changed for the better, will be able to pass on their example more effectively than those who have the “useless” approach the children don’t listen anyway”. Even if they don’t show it, the kids watch carefully what we do. Slowness at the table, if shared with the family in a serene atmosphere, is a healthy habit for everyone, young and old.
Peace of mind also counts
It is important to consume meals in an atmosphere of peace explains the nutritionist. Tension makes you less aware of the act of eating and makes you feel fuller later. Finally, all distracting factors, such as music, TV, mobile phones, tablets or other screens, must be kept away at meal time.
Strategies for feeling full
The slower you eat, the less food you consume: it takes at least 20 minutes for true satiety, the biochemical type fueled by signals that reach the brain and not simply by the feeling of a full belly, to start being perceived effectively. To slow down at the table, thus setting a good example for kids, you need to choose foods rich in fiber that naturally require longer chewing, such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit with peel; chew taking the right time, placing the cutlery on the table between one bite and another; breathe and speak slowly while eating, recommends Erzegovesi. A practical trick to cook together with the children. If one actively participates in its preparation, there will be greater attention to the sensory qualities of the dish dictated by the colour, flavor and texture.
August 14, 2023 (change August 14, 2023 | 12:20)
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