"Forever young at the table": metabolic effects of eating speed in obesity

Healthy eating behaviors may be associated with lower risk of premature coronary artery disease: A multi-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Despite some evidence on individual eating habits in relation to cardiovascular disease, little is known about the combination of common eating habits in relation to premature coronary artery disease (PCAD).

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the association between a combined eating habits score (EHS) and PCAD risk.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 2022 patients with PCAD and 1063 healthy control were recruited. Women aged between 18 and 70 and men aged between 18 and 60 years were eligible. PCAD was defined as 75% or more stenosis in a single coronary artery disease or at least 50% in the left main coronary artery. Eating habits were assessed through interview and higher scores represent healthier behaviors.

RESULTS

Participants in the fourth quartile of EHS had 22% lower risk of PCAD than those in the first quartile (95% CI: 0.61, 0.99; P = 0.024). Not adding salt at the table (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.97; P = 0.023), low-salt meals (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.99; P = 0.022), and slow eating (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.71; P < 0.001) were associated with lower risk of PCAD while more water drinking (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.27; P = 0.013), and increased meal frequency (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.13; P = 0.025) were linked with increased risk of PCAD.

CONCLUSION

Healthy eating behaviors score, particularly low salt intake and slow eating were associated with lower risk of PCAD. However, higher meal frequency and more water drinking were associated with increased risk of PCAD. Well-designed prospective cohort studies are required.

Association between fast eating speed and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a multicenter cross-sectional study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

With the fast pace of modern life, people have less time for meals, but few studies have examined the association between the habit of fast eating and metabolic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

Combining the results of the current study and the prior ones, we aimed to investigate the possible relationship between fast eating and the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

METHODS

This is a sub-analysis of a multicenter cross-sectional study of 1965 participants investigated the association between fast eating and MASLD in Chinese. Fast eating was defined as meal time less than five minutes and participants were divided into three categories based on their self-reported frequency of fast eating: ≤1 time/month, ≤1 time/week and ≥2 times/week. We further conducted a literature search for available studies published before November, 2023 as well as a meta-analysis to investigate the association between fast eating and MASLD.

RESULTS

The proportion of MASLD was 59.3%, 50.5%, and 46.2% in participants with fast eating ≥2 times/week, ≤1 time/week and ≤1 time/month, respectively (P for trend <0.001). The frequency of fast eating was independently associated with risk of MASLD after multiple adjustment for sex, age, demographics, smoking and drinking status, BMI and clinical metabolic parameters (OR, 1.29; 95%CI, 1.09-1.53). Participants who ate fast frequently (≥2 times/week) had 81% higher risk of MASLD (P = 0.011). A meta-analysis of five eligible studies confirmed that frequent fast eating was associated with increased risk of MASLD (pooled OR, 1.22; 95%CI, 1.07-1.39).

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent fast eating was associated with an increased risk of MASLD.

The timing of energy intake

The aim of the paper is to review the current evidence on the impact of 'the timing of energy intake' on the risk of developing obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases. The prevalence of obesity is currently increasing worldwide thus becoming a severe health burden for most countries. Indeed, obesity represents a risk factor for several non-communicable diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, CVD and overall mortality. In order to treat obesity, several pharmacological approaches have been developed and are indicated for subjects with obesity with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or ≥ 27 kg/m2 and obesity-related comorbidities. For severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), bariatric surgery represents a promising approach. The most common bariatric surgical procedures are represented by the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable band, laparoscopic gastric sleeve and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. Both anti-obesity pharmacological and surgical treatments require change in lifestyle. When a nutritional plan is established, attention is usually paid to macronutrient composition and energy intake, while 'the time of food' is not taken into account. Chronotype, which is the attitude of a subject to carry out most of their daily activities in the first (morning chronotype) or second half (evening chronotype) of the day, has been reported to have a role in the pathogenesis of obesity and obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases as well as eating speed. Thus, adopting a physiological timing of energy intake could be an additional strategy to potentiate the current anti-obesity approaches.

Vitamin D and chronotype: is there any relationship in individuals with obesity?

PURPOSE

Chronotype is the attitude to perform most of the daily activities in the morning ("morning chronotype", MC) or in the evening ("evening chronotype", EC). The latter, as well as vitamin D deficiency, has been associated with an increased risk of obesity-related complications, likely through the promotion of insulin resistance. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether there is any relationship between vitamin D (25-OH-D) and chronotype in individuals with obesity.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 59 individuals (43.1 ± 13 years; 17M/42F) with obesity. Anthropometric parameters, lifestyle habits, personal medical history, chronotype, insulin resistance, and 25-OH-D were assessed.

RESULTS

Individuals with EC presented significantly higher BMI than MC (p < 0.001), greater waist (p = 0.012), and hip circumferences (p = 0.001). Individuals with EC showed significantly lower insulin sensitivity (p = 0.017) and 25-OH-D than MC. In addition, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and impaired fasting glucose was significantly higher in EC than in MC. 25-OH-D directly correlated with chronotype score (r = 0.351; p = 0.019) whereas inversely with BMI (r = - 0.363; p = 0.016). The regression analysis showed that BMI was most tightly associated with 25-OH-D concentrations (β = - 0.323, p = 0.032), followed by chronotype score (β = 0.340, p = 0.042). Using chronotype score as the dependent variable, BMI significantly predicted a lower chronotype score (β = - 0.586, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The present study showed that 25-OH-D, as well as chronotype, correlate independently with obesity.

How Fast Do “Owls” and “Larks” Eat?

Chronotype is a reflection of an individual’s preference for sleeping, eating and activity times over a 24 h period. Based on these circadian preferences, three chronotype categories have been identified: morning (MC) (lark), intermediate (IC) and evening (EC) (owl). Chronotype categories have been reported to influence dietary habits; subjects with EC are more prone to follow unhealthy diets. In order to better characterize the eating habits of subjects with obesity belonging to three different chronotype categories, we investigated eating speed during the three main meals in a population of subjects with overweight/obesity. For this purpose, we included 81 subjects with overweight/obesity (aged 46.38 ± 16.62 years; BMI 31.48 ± 7.30 kg/m2) in a cross-sectional, observational study. Anthropometric parameters and lifestyle habits were studied. Chronotype score was assessed using the Morningness–Eveningness questionnaire (based on their scores, subjects were categorized as MC, IC or EC). To investigate the duration of main meals, a dietary interview by a qualified nutritionist was conducted. Subjects with MC spend significantly more time on lunch than subjects with EC (p = 0.017) and significantly more time on dinner than subjects with IC (p = 0.041). Furthermore, the chronotype score correlated positively with the minutes spent at lunch (p = 0.001) and dinner (p = 0.055, trend toward statistical significance). EC had a fast eating speed and this, in addition to better characterizing the eating habits of this chronotype category, could also contribute to the risk of developing obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases.

Body mass index and variability in meal duration and association with rate of eating

Background

A fast rate of eating is associated with a higher risk for obesity but existing studies are limited by reliance on self-report and the consistency of eating rate has not been examined across all meals in a day. The goal of the current analysis was to examine associations between meal duration, rate of eating, and body mass index (BMI) and to assess the variance of meal duration and eating rate across different meals during the day.

Methods

Using an observational cross-sectional study design, non-smoking participants aged 18–45 years (N = 29) consumed all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) on a single day in a pseudo free-living environment. Participants were allowed to choose any food and beverages from a University food court and consume their desired amount with no time restrictions. Weighed food records and a log of meal start and end times, to calculate duration, were obtained by a trained research assistant. Spearman's correlations and multiple linear regressions examined associations between BMI and meal duration and rate of eating.

Results

Participants were 65% male and 48% white. A shorter meal duration was associated with a higher BMI at breakfast but not lunch or dinner, after adjusting for age and sex (p = 0.03). Faster rate of eating was associated with higher BMI across all meals (p = 0.04) and higher energy intake for all meals (p < 0.001). Intra-individual rates of eating were not significantly different across breakfast, lunch, and dinner (p = 0.96).

Conclusion

Shorter beakfast and a faster rate of eating across all meals were associated with higher BMI in a pseudo free-living environment. An individual's rate of eating is constant over all meals in a day. These data support weight reduction interventions focusing on the rate of eating at all meals throughout the day and provide evidence for specifically directing attention to breakfast eating behaviors.

Meal Timing and Macronutrient Composition Modulate Human Metabolism and Reward-Related Drive to Eat

The ‘time-of-day’ modifies the metabolic response to meals, but less data exist on the diurnal variations in the hedonic drive to eat. In the present paper, we evaluate the effects of meal timing and macronutrient composition on metabolic responses and the homeostatic vs. hedonic regulation of appetite. In study 1, 84 young, healthy adults completed an online computer-based task assessing the homeostatic and hedonic drive to eat in the morning and evening. In study 2, 24 healthy, young men received 2 identical (850 kcal each) meals in the morning (8:45 h) and evening (18:00 h), of 2 experimental conditions: (i) regular carbohydrate (CH) meals (regular-CH), and (ii) high carbohydrate (high-CH) meals, containing 50 and 80% of energy from CHs, respectively. Serial blood samples were obtained, and the postprandial feelings of hunger, satiety, wanting and liking were assessed. Study 1 revealed a higher hedonic drive to eat in the evening compared to the morning. Study 2 confirmed this diurnal pattern of hedonic appetite regulation and, moreover, showed increased glucose and insulin responses to the evening meal. Postprandial ghrelin and leptin as well as feelings of hunger and satiety were not different between the mealtimes nor between the macronutrient conditions. In line with this, the homeostatic drive to eat was neither affected by the mealtime nor macronutrient composition. Increased the hedonic drive to eat in the evening may represent a vulnerability to palatable food and, thus, energy overconsumption. Together with lower evening glucose tolerance, these findings reflect an adverse metabolic constellation at the end of the day, especially after the ingestion of CH-rich foods.