title: Increased hunger and speed of eating in obese children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This quality improvement program examined self-reported hunger, over-eating, and eating speed in obese and normal-weight children and adolescents prior to an interventional component.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food frequency questionnaires were presented to 127 obese and 42 normal-weight patients, and perceived hunger, food intake and eating speed were rated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obese patients reported significantly greater hunger than normal-weight patients (62.2% vs. 21.4%, p<0.001) and faster eating (55.7% vs. 23.3%, p<0.001). Patients reporting being "always" or "often hungry" were more than six times likely to be obese (OR=6.49, 2.86-14.73, p<0.001), while rapid speed of eating yielded a four-fold increase in likelihood of obesity (OR=4.15, 1.77-9.72, p<0.001). Hunger and speed of eating were also highly associated (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased hunger and eating speed were highly prevalent in these obese pediatric patients and may reflect abnormalities of satiety and satiation.
authors.forename: Arnold H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Slyper
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kopfer
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yochai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Re'em
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D012528:Satiety Response / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires