This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Paced eating prevents weight gain in children

Children and adolescents who took 30 seconds between each bite of food had a decrease in body weight, compared with weight gain among those who did not pace their eating, according to recently published data.

Researchers provided students with a 30-second hourglass to pace their time between bites of food to assess the impact of paced eating and satiety reflex combined with educational programs focused on healthy eating and excessive weight gain in children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years.  

The children were grouped by adherence, defined as using the hourglass at least 4 days a week. Participants with more than 50% weekly adherence were part of the adhering group. At the start of the study, participants in the adhering group had a significantly higher BMI compared with those not using the hourglass, according to the researchers.

Results demonstrated that during the first semester of the study, participants in the adhering group decreased their weight by 2%, whereas those in the nonadhering group experienced a weight increase of 5.8% during the same time period.

Similar results were seen at the 1 year point, with the adhering group having a 3.4% decrease in their weight, compared with an increase of 12.6% in the nonadhering group, according to the researchers. Data from a control group that included a similar population suggested a weight gain of 8.2% in 1 year.

The researchers noted that extending the time given for meal consumption may be helpful in decreasing the amount of food that children and adolescents eat.

“Our results suggest that the combination of behavioral training and focused eating monitoring may constitute a weight control method that can be promoted for children and adolescents, at moderate costs and with lasting effects,” the researchers concluded. – by Casey Hower

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.