Abstract
We performed an epidemiological study on the relationship between chewing habits and boody weighe according to age and obtained the following results:
1. Concerning the relationship between age and chewing habits, young subjects often exhibited rough chewing habits, but a larger proportion of subjects chewed well in middle age.
2. Concerning the relationship between body weight and chewing habits, subjects with standard weight more frequently chewed well while subjects who were overweight or obese more frequently chewed roughly. This relationship was observed from the age of 30 years, and became marked between the ages of 35 and 39, but was marked between the ages of 40 and 44 or 45 and 49. In every age group between 30 and 59, excess weight and obesity were more frequently observed in subjects who chewed roughly than in those who chewed well.
The habit of chewing well (chewing food 20 times before swallowing) may be effective for preventing obesity.
