Children who chew poorly and eat quickly are significantly more likely to be obese, according to a study by researchers at the University of Osaka's Graduate School of Dentistry.
The study, which surveyed more than 1,400 fourth-grade students, is among the first to demonstrate a clear link between eating behavior and obesity risk in children specifically. The findings were published in an international medical journal in March.
The research team, including professor Kazunori Ikebe, assessed the chewing ability of 1,403 elementary school students in the city of Osaka during fiscal 2023. Participants were asked to chew a specially designed piece of gum, with researchers analyzing the color mixing and saliva output to gauge masticatory performance.
The students also completed a questionnaire on their eating habits, which was then analyzed against their obesity levels.
The study found that 167 children, or about 12% of the total, were classified as obese. Researchers calculated the odds ratios to assess risk: children with low chewing ability were 1.5 times more likely to be obese compared with their peers. Those who ate quickly had a 1.73-times greater risk, and those who routinely stuffed their mouths while eating had a 1.29-times higher likelihood.
Notably, children who both ate quickly and had poor chewing ability showed a strong correlation with obesity across both sexes. Among boys, the odds of being obese were three times higher than those of other students.
“Both chewing ability and eating behavior are clearly linked to childhood obesity,” Ikebe said. “Going forward, we’d like to monitor how these factors evolve as children grow.”
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