Eating Speed and Its Associations with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Children

Abstract

<b>Background/Objective:</b> Mexico has experienced an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren, predisposing them to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, rapid eating has been increasingly implicated in the dysregulation of appetite control, greater energy intake, and adverse metabolic outcomes in children. Prior evidence indicates that a faster eating pace is associated with excess adiposity and lipid metabolism. This study aimed to compare cardiovascular risk factors (waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, body mass index (BMI), and lipid profile) among school-aged Mexican children according to self-reported eating speed. <b>Design:</b> Cross-sectional observational study. <b>Setting:</b> Public elementary schools in Mexico. <b>Participants:</b> Ninety school-aged children (52.2% female) aged 6-12 years old. Eating speed was assessed using an adapted and validated self-administered questionnaire. <b>Intervention:</b> No intervention was applied; participants were classified into slow-, normal-, or fast-eating groups according to their usual eating speed as reported in the instrument, which includes questions regarding self-perception and family perception. <b>Main Outcome Measure:</b> The primary outcomes included anthropometric parameters (BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio), blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and biochemical markers of lipid metabolism (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol). <b>Analysis:</b> Descriptive statistics were computed, and comparisons across eating speed groups were performed using one-way ANOVA for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical data. Statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05. <b>Results:</b> Among the 90 children evaluated, 17.7% were classified as fast eaters. Although gender differences in eating speed were not statistically significant (χ²= 4.607, <i>p</i> = 0.100), a higher proportion of boys were classified as fast eaters. Children in the fast-eating group exhibited significantly higher BMI (1.4 kg/m²), waist circumference (4 cm greater), and modest elevations in triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, alongside lower HDL cholesterol, relative to their slow-eating peers (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). Among all variables, only diastolic blood pressure differed significantly across groups (F = 3.92, <i>p</i> = 0.022), with fast eaters showing the highest values. Nevertheless BMI, waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and total cholesterol were not statistically significant in the logistic regression, and HDL cholesterol demonstrated an association close to 95% [0.051 (0.011-0.226)] to a protective factor against cardiometabolic events, estimating an effect size of 1.64 using Cohen's d, which is considered a large effect, when compared to their slower-eating peers. <b>Conclusions and Implications:</b> Faster eating speed was consistently associated with unfavorable anthropometric and lipid profile indicators, aligning with previous evidence linking rapid eating to early cardiometabolic alterations. These findings emphasize the relevance of including eating behavior assessments in pediatric cardiovascular risk screenings and prevention strategies.