Scientists have determined that eating slowly reduces the risk of obesity. According to a report in The Guardian, a survey on diabetes in Japan revealed that people who eat slowly and regularly have less weight around the lumbar region and less general body mass index.In the survey, 59,700 adults with type 2 diabetes who regularly had check-ups as part of their health insurance between 2008 and 2013 in Japan were asked about their eating habits.

Participants answered seven questions about how many meals they eat a day, how fast they eat, whether they have breakfast and whether they eat before going to bed.

The results showed that the risk of obesity increases as eating speed increases. They found that 21.5 percent of slow-eating participants were obese and 30 percent of the ones who eat at a normal pace had the same problem. However, 45 percent of fast-eating participants were obese.

It was also found that body mass index was slightly more than 22 in slow-eating people, 23.5 in people who eat at a normal speed and 25 in fast-eating individuals.

Another observation was that weight around the lumbar region increases with the speed of eating. Findings indicate that people who eat slowly and regularly, do not miss breakfasts and avoid eating before bedtime are less likely to be obese.

On the other hand, it was seen that the body mass indexes of the participants who changed their eating habits in the second control decreased. The results of the study were published in the BMJ Open Science journal.