A study conducted by the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and University of Bristol shows the beneficial effects of eating slowly. The trial results had obese children wear a device that monitored how fast they ate their food and instructed them to regulate their eating speed when they ate too fast. Scientific research indicates a trend that overweight people eat much faster on average than those with regular weight.

Eating slowly helps in weight loss because there is a certain lag time before we feel full while we are eating. As a result, you are able to feel full without overeating. The results of the study indicate that the children moved closer to their ideal weight after using the device for months.

The device is called a Mandometer, and it was initially created to aid in behavioral treament for people with eating disorders. Users place their plates on a scale on the device, whereupon a computer displays a real-time graph that shows information such as how much food has been consumed and the rate of eating.

Users exhibited changes in their eating speed after prolonged use of the device. However, the effect lessened as they were weaned of the device. More tests still need to be made, but the underlying premise is shown to have merit: Eat slowly to help you lose weight.