Is it easier to gain weight if you eat while walking?

In the fast-paced modern life, eating on the go seems to have become a normal lifestyle. In crowded stations or busy commercial areas, people can be seen walking hurriedly with food in hand. Eating on the go allows them to solve the dining problem in a short time, so that they have more time to devote to work or other affairs. However, the convenience brought by this can easily make us ignore the hidden dangers behind it.

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01 Is it true that food tastes better when you eat while walking?

Maybe it is true. -Eating on the go can quickly satisfy the anticipation of food in the moment

When we feel hungry or crave food, the anticipation and yearning for food can instantly ignite our taste buds, and satisfying this need immediately brings us pleasure and satisfaction. Eating on the go allows us to get food quickly and satisfy our appetite at the moment.

Eating while walking can bring a new eating experience

This informal way of dining may make people feel freer and more casual, breaking their daily eating habits and bringing some different experiences. In addition, walking can bring physical exercise and relaxation effects, which can help reduce stress and relax the body and mind. Eating in this relaxed state may make people enjoy the taste and texture of food more.

Emotional eating can help you feel better

When facing stress or negative emotions, the behavior of increasing eating is called emotional eating. Emotional eating is a psychological adjustment method taken to relieve inner stress or emotional problems. People who often eat while walking often face greater work and time pressure, which will inevitably trigger negative emotions, and emotional eating often leads to the choice of more favorite food.

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02 Will eating while walking cause weight gain?

Eating while walking and eating too fast is not good for digestion

When eating while walking, the hurried mentality, time pressure, and distracted attention can lead to eating too fast. Studies have shown that eating too fast can increase the incidence of obesity by 115%. On the other hand, eating too fast can lead to larger food intake and less chewing. Large pieces of food may be difficult to be effectively broken down by stomach acid, which increases the burden on the gastrointestinal tract and causes digestive problems, such as food reflux or acid reflux, stomach pain, or stomach discomfort.

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It is difficult to control the amount of food you eat while walking

A cohort study of 4,076 children showed that eating in an informal dining environment, such as in front of a TV, was significantly associated with high rates of obesity and overweight. Eating while walking, an informal dining environment, can reduce concentration during meals. External factors can affect the nervous system's ability to perceive satiety, slowing down the formation of satiety. Even if enough food is eaten in a short period of time, but the satiety signal has not yet reached the brain, there will still be a feeling of hunger, and you will eat more without realizing it.

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03 Other hazards of eating while walking

Cause choking

When walking, the body is in an unstable posture, and it is easy to choke on food when eating. If food chokes on the respiratory tract, it will cause emergency situations such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and even suffocation.

Causes foodborne illness

Outdoor air may be dusty and full of microorganisms (mainly bacteria, fungi and viruses suspended in the air). Potential pathogenic microorganisms in the air will threaten human health. Eating in such an environment is easy to be contaminated, thus causing foodborne diseases.

Cold air enters the digestive tract causing gastrointestinal discomfort

In winter, eating while walking will cause cold air to enter the body through the digestive tract, causing gastrointestinal contraction and spasm, affecting gastrointestinal blood circulation, and may cause abdominal distension and pain, diarrhea, unformed stools, and increased frequency of bowel movements.

Increase traffic safety risks

When people eat while walking, their attention will inevitably be distracted by the food, which will lead to a decrease in attention to the surrounding environment and a decrease in the ability to respond to emergencies. On roads with complex traffic conditions, this will undoubtedly create extremely huge safety hazards.

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In summary, although eating while walking can save time and make people feel that food tastes better, this behavior will also increase the risk of obesity, poor eating hygiene, affect health, cause traffic safety hazards, choke and other hazards. We can find a healthier and more balanced way to deal with time pressure, while also paying attention to our physical health and quality of life, and choosing a clean and comfortable place to eat.

References

[1] Wang Yajuan. Implicit associations between food cues and negative emotions in adolescents: the regulatory role of emotional eating[D]. Southwest University, 2021.

[2]OHKUMA T, HIRAKAWA Y, NAKAMURA U, et al. Association between eating rate and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis [J]. International journal of obesity (2005), 2015, 39(11): 1589-96.

[3]FOGEL A, GOH AT, FRIES LR, et al. A description of an 'obesogenic' eating style that promotes higher energy intake and is associated with greater adiposity in 4.5year-old children: Results from the GUSTO cohort [J]. Physiology & behavior, 2017, 176: 107-16.

[4]PARKES A, GREEN M, PEARCE A. Do bedroom screens and the mealtime environment shape different trajectories of child overweight and obesity? Research using the Growing Up in Scotland study [J]. International journal of obesity (2005), 2020, 44(4): 790-802.

[5] Feng Jingwen, Qiu Yujie, Zhang Wenbin, et al. Qualitative evidence-based study on eating speed, eating environment and childhood obesity[J]. Chinese Food and Nutrition, 2023, 29(11): 5-11.

Author: Wang Zhengyuan, PhD in Nutrition, Deputy Chief Physician, Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Planning & Editing: Tiara