Impact of Individual Differences in Eating Rate on Oral Processing, Bolus Properties and Post-Meal Glucose Responses

Ai Ting Goh,Georgia Chatonidi,Michelle Choy,Shalini Ponnalagu,Markus Stieger,Ciarán G Forde

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113495

Abstract

PurposeModifying food texture has been shown to influence oral processing behaviour. We explored the impact of food texture on oral processing, bolus formation and post-prandial glucose responses (PPG) among fast and slow eaters. MethodsMale participants (N=39) were split into fast or slow eaters based on natural differences in eating rate when consuming two carbohydrate-equivalent test-meals differing in texture (white rice and rice cake). PPG and satiety responses were compared for fast and slow eaters over 120-min for each test-meal. Each groups test-meal PPG was compared for bolus and saliva properties at the point of swallow. ResultsWhite rice displayed lower instrumental hardness, chewiness and Young's modulus and was perceived less chewy, springy and sticky than rice cake. Slow eaters (n=24, white rice: 13.3 g/min; rice cake: 15.1 g/min) required an average 42% more chews per bite (p < 0.001), had 60% longer oral exposure time (OET), and consumed both test-meals (p < 0.001) at half the eating rate of fast eaters (n=15). Slow eaters had higher PPG following the rice cake meal at 15 (p = 0.046) and 45 min (p = 0.034) than fast eaters. A longer OET was a positive predictor of early PPG at 30-min after the white rice meal (β = 0.178, p = 0.041) and saliva uptake was a significant predictor (β = 0.458, p = 0.045) of PPG for slow eaters when consuming rice cake. Increasing food hardness and stiffness (Young's modulus) had a greater impact on eating rate for slow eaters than fast eaters. ConclusionsEating rate, oral exposure time and bolus saliva uptake were the predictors of an individual's post-prandial glycaemic response amongst slow eaters. Increasing the number of chews per bite with a longer oral exposure time increased saliva uptake in the bolus at the moment of swallowing and enhanced temporal changes in PPG, leading to greater glycaemic peaks in rice cake meal. Differences in eating rate between slow and fast eaters when consuming rice cake meal influenced temporal changes in PPG but not total PPG, and bolus properties did not differ between eating rate groups.

Highlights

The Rice Cake (RC) was perceived significantly higher in stickiness (p < 0.001) than the White Rice (WR) which is in agreement with the significantly higher textural profile analysis (TPA) adhesiveness (p = 0.003) of RC compared to WR
Our previous research showed significant differences between white rice and rice cakes when consumed as an individual food item rather than a meal [42], yet the current study showed that fast eaters rate of intake was unaffected by the modification of texture
The current study demonstrated the interplay between food texture and individual’s habitual eating behaviour on glycaemic response and satiety

Summary

Introduction

Individuals differ naturally in the way they eat, with some consuming foods fast while others eat at a slower pace [1]. Research has shown that a faster eating rate is associated with higher energy intake [8], and may affect gly caemic and insulin responses and post-meal satiety [9]. Over time, these eating rate differences may influence body weight and have been asso ciated with increased cardio-metabolic risk and poorer health outcomes [10,11,12]. Growing evidence from feeding trials and population based dietary surveys in children and adults consistently shows that fast eaters consume greater energy, have higher adiposity and tend to gain weight at a faster rate over time [13,14,15,16]

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