It has been an old wives tale for a long time, but science has officially proved that eating fast makes you gain weight faster, regardless of the quantity or quality of the food itself. Japanese researchers at Osaka University this week reported in the British Medical Journal their findings that people who eat quickly until they are full are three times more likely to be overweight.

Fast Food to Blame
The 3,000 subjects were Japanese and between the ages of 30 and 69, however the team suggested that the emergence of the western-style fast food culture has meant that Japanese eating patterns have changed for the worse. Hiroyasu Iso and his colleagues questioned the male and female volunteers on their eating habits. About half of the men and a little more than half of the women said they ate until full. About 45 percent of the men and 36 percent of the women said they ate quickly.

Distractions Aplenty
The researchers cited cultural changes such as watching television while eating and the availability of large portions as a major problem, especially for children. Also, the team recognised that it takes nearly 20 minutes for food to reach our digestive system from the time we start eating, thus the effect of feeling full takes time to reach our brain.

Dr Karl Kabasele of CityNews in the US said of the findings: "Fast eating also led to consuming more calories overall and a higher body mass index. This may be because of the easy availability of inexpensive food in large portions and the fact that we often squeeze meals into busy schedules and eat while we are distracted."