title: The impact of eating quickly on anthropometric variables among schoolgirls: a prospective cohort study in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because most studies about the relationship between eating quickly and overweight/obesity have been cross-sectional, it is necessary to investigate prospectively the influence of eating quickly on anthropometric variables in order to examine the causal relationship. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of eating quickly on anthropometric variables among schoolgirls in a prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 427 non-overweight/obese schoolgirls from fourth grade (aged 9 or 10 years) in Ina-town, Japan from 2004 to 2006. Physical examinations and a questionnaire survey were conducted in fourth grade and 3 years later (in seventh grade). Height, weight, percent body fat (%BF) and waist circumference (WC) were measured in physical examinations, and information on eating speed was collected in a questionnaire survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences in anthropometric variables (body mass index, %BF, WC and waist-to-height ratio) between fourth and seventh grade were significantly greater in girls who continued to eat quickly from fourth to seventh grade than in those who did not continue to eat quickly during this 3-year period. In contrast, these differences were not statistically significant in girls who ate quickly in fourth grade but not in seventh grade compared with those who did not continue to eat quickly during the 3-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eating quickly was associated with excess gains in anthropometric variables. The present study also suggested that stopping a habit of eating quickly prevents these excess gains in non-overweight/obese girls, which could contribute to the prevention of childhood overweight and obesity.
authors: 1 Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan h-ochiai@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors: Hirotaka
authors: H
authors: Ochiai
authors: 1 Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Takako
authors: T
authors: Shirasawa
authors: 1 Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Tadahiro
authors: T
authors: Ohtsu
authors: 2 Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Rimei
authors: R
authors: Nishimura
authors: 2 Division of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Aya
authors: A
authors: Morimoto
authors: 1 Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Hiromi
authors: H
authors: Hoshino
authors: 3 Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Naoko
authors: N
authors: Tajima
authors: 1 Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Akatsuki
authors: A
authors: Kokaze
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference