A new study from Japan suggests that how fast we eat might be just as important as what we eat when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Researchers at Fujita Health University recently discovered some interesting connections between eating speed and potential health benefits.
The Research Study
In early 2025, scientists in Japan conducted a study with 33 adults to learn more about eating behaviors. The research team was curious about several factors: how long people took to eat their food, how many times they chewed before swallowing, how many bites they took during a meal, and whether these habits were different between men and women.
For the study, participants were given pizza slices while researchers carefully measured their eating patterns. Each person ate while researchers timed their meals and counted chews and bites. The research team also tested whether playing music at different speeds could change how quickly people ate.
Differences Between Men and Women
One of the first things researchers noticed was that men and women eat quite differently. Women in the study took significantly longer to finish their meals, averaging about 87 seconds, compared to men, who finished in about 63 seconds. This wasn't just because women were eating slower - they were actually chewing more times and taking more bites of food.
On average, women chewed their food 107 times during the test meal, while men chewed only about 80 times. Women also took more than twice as many bites as men did, with women averaging 4.5 bites and men taking only 2.1 bites to finish the same amount of food.
Despite these differences, researchers found that both men and women chewed at approximately the same rhythm or speed. This suggests that the difference in meal duration comes from taking more bites and chewing more times, not from chewing at a slower pace.
What Makes a Meal Last Longer?
After analyzing all their data, the research team discovered that the length of a meal was most strongly connected to just two factors: the number of times a person chewed their food and the number of bites they took. Interestingly, body size didn't matter much - being larger or smaller didn't predict whether someone would be a fast or slow eater.
The scientists were also curious about whether a person's regular diet affected how long they ate. They looked at the number of calories participants normally consumed, as well as the amount of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber they ate. None of these dietary factors seemed to influence meal duration.
Using Music to Change Eating Speed
Perhaps the most fascinating part of the study involved using music to influence eating speed. Researchers had participants eat while listening to beats at different tempos through headphones. They tested a slow beat (40 beats per minute), a medium beat (80 beats per minute), and a fast beat (160 beats per minute).
The results were clear: the slow beat had the strongest effect on eating behavior. When listening to the slow beat, participants spent much more time on their meals, chewed their food more thoroughly, took more bites, and slowed their overall chewing pace.
The medium and fast beats also changed eating behavior somewhat, but not as dramatically as the slow beat. This suggests that playing slow, relaxing music during mealtimes might be an effective strategy for people who want to slow down their eating.
Why Eating Speed Matters for Health
Many health experts have suggested the connection between eating quickly and weight gain over the years. When we eat too quickly, our bodies don't have enough time to send fullness signals to our brains. It takes about 20 minutes from the start of a meal for these fullness hormones to kick in. If we finish eating before these signals arrive, we might eat more than our bodies need.
Several previous studies have found that faster eaters tend to have higher rates of obesity and related health problems. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries even recommends slow eating as a health strategy, suggesting that people should allow plenty of time for meals and choose foods that require more chewing.
This new research provides scientific evidence for these recommendations. By showing that meal duration is linked to the number of chews and bites rather than the pace of chewing itself, it gives concrete guidance on extending meal times.
Historical Context
The researchers noted an interesting historical change in Japanese eating habits. Before World War II, Japanese people reportedly chewed about 1,420 times during a typical meal that lasted 22 minutes. In contrast, modern meals involve only about 620 chews and last 11 minutes. This change reflects different eating speeds and changes in the types of foods consumed.
Pre-war Japanese diets contained more foods that required thorough chewing, such as whole grains, root vegetables, and dried foods. Modern diets often include softer, more processed foods that can be eaten quickly with less chewing effort.
Practical Ways to Slow Down Your Eating
Based on this research, several practical strategies might help extend your mealtime and potentially improve your health:
Take smaller bites of food. The study shows that taking more bites naturally extends meal duration. Using smaller utensils or cutting food into smaller pieces can help with this.
Chew your food more thoroughly. Try counting your chews for each bite, aiming for 20-30 chews before swallowing.
Play slow, relaxing music during meals. The study showed that a slow rhythm of about 40 beats per minute was most effective at slowing the eating pace. This is about the tempo of many relaxing classical pieces or slow jazz.
Put down your utensils between bites. This simple habit creates a natural pause that extends your meal.
Choose foods that require more chewing. Whole grains, fresh vegetables, and lean proteins require more chewing than highly processed foods.
Drink water between bites. Sipping water throughout your meal naturally slows your eating pace and helps you stay hydrated.
Eat without distractions. Turn off the television and put away your phone so you can focus on your food and be more mindful of your eating pace.
Looking Forward
The researchers acknowledged some limitations of their study. It was relatively small, with only 33 participants, and it used only pizza as the test food. Future research might explore whether these findings apply to different types of foods and larger groups of people.
They also suggested that similar studies should be conducted specifically with people who are obese to see if slowing down the eating pace could be an effective strategy for weight management in this population.
Despite these limitations, this study provides valuable insights into the science of eating behavior. It suggests that simple changes to how we eat might have meaningful health benefits. By taking smaller bites, chewing more thoroughly, and playing some slow music during meals, we can extend our mealtimes and improve our relationship with food.
In a world where meals are often rushed, and eating happens on the go, taking time to slow down and savor our food might be pleasurable and beneficial for our health.
This article is based on research published in March 2025 in the journal "Nutrients" by researchers at Fujita Health University in Japan.
