The Relationship of Eating Rate and Degree of Chewing to Body Weight Status among Preschool Children in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

There is growing recognition that eating slowly is associated with a lower risk of obesity, and chewing well might be an effective way to reduce the eating rate. However, little is known about these relationships among children. We therefore investigated the associations of eating rate and chewing degree with weight status among 4451 Japanese children aged 5-6 years. Information on eating rate (slow, medium, or fast), degree of chewing (not well, medium, or well), and nutrient intake of children were collected from guardians using a diet history questionnaire. Weight status was defined using the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs based on BMI calculated from guardian-reported height and weight. The prevalence of overweight and thinness was 10.4% and 14.3%, respectively. A higher eating rate and a lower degree of chewing were associated with being overweight (both p < 0.001). Eating slowly was associated with being thin (p < 0.001), but no association was observed between chewing degree and thinness. These associations were still evident after controlling for potential confounders including parental educational attainment, weight status, and the child's nutrient intake. In conclusion, this cross-sectional study suggested that chewing well, rather than eating slowly, might be a more effective way for healthy weight management among Japanese preschool children.