Epidemiological studies have shown that self-reported fast eating increases the risk of diabetes and obesity. Our aim was to evaluate the acute effect of fast eating on glycemic parameters through conducting a randomized controlled cross-over study with young healthy women. Nineteen healthy women wore a flash glucose monitoring system for 6 days. Each participant consumed identical test meals with a different eating speed of fast eating (10 min) or slow eating (20 min) on the 4th or the 5th day. The daily glycemic parameters were compared between the 2 days. The mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE; fast eating 3.67 ± 0.31 vs. slow eating 2.67 ± 0.20 mmol/L, p < 0.01), incremental glucose peak (IGP; breakfast 2.30 ± 0.19 vs. 1.71 ± 0.12 mmol/L, p < 0.01, lunch 4.06 ± 0.33 vs. 3.13 ± 0.28 mmol/L, p < 0.01, dinner 3.87 ± 0.38 vs. 2.27 ± 0.27 mmol/L, p < 0.001), and incremental area under the curve for glucose of dinner 2 h (IAUC; 256 ± 30 vs. 128 ± 18 mmol/L × min, p < 0.001) for fast eating were all significantly higher than those for slow eating. The results suggest that fast eating is associated with higher glycemic excursion in healthy women.
Keywords: diabetes; diet; eating fast; eating speed; flash glucose monitoring; glycemic excursion; obesity; postprandial glucose.