The speed at which people eat can affect more than enjoyment at the table, according to experts cited by the Associated Press. The guidance focuses on a common pattern: if diners reliably finish breakfast, lunch or dinner in less than 20 to 30 minutes, they may be eating too fast for the body to register fullness in time.
Leslie Heinberg, at the Center for Behavioral Health at the Cleveland Clinic, described how fullness signals take time to reach the brain. “It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to communicate to the brain via a whole host of hormonal signals that it’s full,” Heinberg said, adding that when people eat rapidly they can miss those signals and it is “very easy to eat beyond the point of fullness.”
Heinberg also pointed to potential digestion issues linked with faster eating. People who eat quickly are likely to swallow more air, which can lead to bloating or indigestion, and not chewing food properly can compromise digestion and prevent diners from getting the nutrients in their meals. The AP report also notes that unchewed pieces of food could get stuck in the esophagus.
The experts said minding the environment during meals can help diners slow down. Heinberg recommended turning off the TV and putting down a phone, saying that when people eat while watching television they often continue eating until a commercial or the show ends. “When we do things while we’re eating, we’re eating less mindfully. And that often causes us to eat more,” Heinberg said, while she also added that when people focus on eating they tend to enjoy the meal more and eat less.
Sarah Berry, chief scientist at ZOE, emphasized presence and attention to what food feels and tastes like. When possible, she said, diners should “be mindful of what the food tastes and feels like,” adding that if people are not fully present, “it’s very easy to eat more quickly and not notice how much we’ve consumed.”
Heinberg acknowledged that the pace of eating can become an ingrained habit, but said change is possible through practical tactics. The AP report included suggestions such as using a non-dominant hand to eat, trying utensils people might not ordinarily use—like chopsticks—and taking a deliberate break to drink water when a plate is partially empty.
Helen McCarthy, a clinical psychologist with the British Psychological Society, described chewing as a straightforward lever for slowing meals. She said increasing the number of bites can help, and argued that if diners “chew each mouthful a little bit longer, that will slow down your eating.” McCarthy also said the type of food may matter because ultraprocessed or fast foods can be easier to eat quickly due to softer textures, making them harder to slow down through chewing alone.
In describing what that shift can feel like, McCarthy referenced patient experiences after slowing down. She told AP that one woman who often ate a tube of potato chips every evening reportedly stopped finding the activity enjoyable after McCarthy advised her to slow down and eat each chip individually—she described it as “like having a mouthful of claggy chemicals,” and McCarthy said the woman “didn’t find (the chips) enjoyable anymore.”