ISLAMABAD: The speed at which you eat could determine whether you're at a risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

According to a preliminary research, slow eaters are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and abnormal cholesetrol levels, that can multiply a person’s risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

On the other hand, eating quickly may cause fluctuations in blood sugar, which can lead to insulin resistance.

According to research presented at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2017, eating more slowly could be the key to keeping your health and body in check, Health news reported.

As per the Independent, a team from Hiroshima University in Japan evaluated 642 men and 441 women with an average age of 51.2 years, none of whom had metabolic syndrome, in 2008.

The participants were divided into three categories based on how they described their usual eating speed: slow, normal or fast.

It was found that fast eaters were more likely (11.6 percent) to have developed metabolic syndrome than normal eaters (6.5 percent) and slow eaters (2.3 percent).

Eating quickly was also associated with more weight gain, larger waistline and higher blood glucose.

The practice of consciously chewing your food and eating slowly allows the brain to receive signals of fullness, which also means that you are more likely to stop eating earlier.

“When people eat fast they tend not to feel full and are more likely to overeat. Eating fast causes bigger glucose fluctuation, which can lead to insulin resistance. We also believe our research would apply to a U.S. Population,” the Independent reported.—APP