Slowing down at mealtime is often recommended for digestion and weight control but putting that advice into practice can be tricky. A new study suggests that instead of focusing on how you eat — like chewing more or eating vegetables first — it might be more effective to change what you eat.
Researchers at Fujita Health University in Japan found that meal type has a stronger influence on eating behavior than the order in which food is eaten. In the study, 41 adults ate three different meals over several weeks: pizza, a hamburger steak bento with vegetables eaten first and the same bento with vegetables eaten last. All meals were matched for calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates. Researchers used wearable chewing sensors and video analysis to track meal duration, number of chews and bites, and chewing tempo.
The results were clear. Participants ate pizza significantly faster than the bento meals. Meal duration was shorter, and the number of chews was lower, regardless of whether vegetables were eaten first or last. It was the structure of the meal — fast food versus a traditional, multi-component bento — that made the difference.
“Eating slowly is widely recommended for obesity prevention,” said Professor Katsumi Iizuka, who led the study. “But people often don’t know how to implement this advice. Our study shows that simply choosing the right type of meal — such as a bento instead of fast food — can naturally extend meal duration and encourage more mindful eating.”
The study also found that men tended to eat faster and chew less than women. Older participants ate faster than younger ones, which may reflect changes in chewing ability or dental health. Body mass index (BMI), however, was not associated with how fast participants ate.
“One key factor affecting meal speed is how the food is served and eaten,” Iizuka said. “Bento meals are served in small portions that need to be picked up with chopsticks, which slows down the process. In contrast, pizza is eaten by hand and is often designed to be eaten quickly. This difference in serving style plays a big role in how fast people eat.”
The researchers also noted that chewing tempo, the rhythm of how fast people chew, is likely driven by brain patterns and remains relatively stable. But the number of chews and overall time spent chewing vary with meal type.
The takeaway? Rather than focusing on chewing techniques or food sequence, encouraging meals that are naturally slower to eat — such as bento boxes or other multi-component dishes — could help people eat more mindfully and support long-term health.
This research was supported by the Suzuken Memorial Foundation.