If you’re the type to finish your meal before anyone else has unwrapped their napkin—you might want to pump the brakes. Fast eating, often dismissed as just a personality quirk, is increasingly linked to health issues like obesity. Now, scientists say the fix could be as simple (and weird) as syncing your bites to a beat.
Researchers in Japan recently tested whether chewing along to a metronome could help people slow down their eating habits. The study, published in March 2025 in Nutrients, involved participants eating slices of pizza in four stages—each at a different tempo. Using a Bitescan device tucked behind the ear to track bites and chews, the researchers analyzed meal duration, chewing pace, and bite frequency.
New Study Finds That Eating to a Rhythm Could Curb Overeating
Stage one had participants eat a quarter-slice at their normal pace. Then things got rhythmic: in the following three stages, they were asked to eat to metronome beats of 40, 80, and 160 bpm, respectively. The slowest beat, 40 bpm, had the most impact, significantly slowing chewing tempo and extending meal duration.
Interestingly, this effect was especially noticeable in female participants, who already tended to chew more and take smaller bites than their male counterparts. But across the board, more chews and bites were associated with longer meals—something scientists say can promote better digestion and even help prevent overeating.
Why does this matter? Research has shown that people who eat quickly often consume more calories before their body has time to signal that it’s full. The result: shorter meals, bigger waistlines.
Even if a metronome at the dinner table sounds like a culinary buzzkill, music works too. Past studies suggest that eating to slow, relaxing music (there are some great “spa music” playlists) can naturally slow your tempo and stretch out your meals. People listening to slow music tend to chew more, feel more relaxed, and linger longer at the table—without having to count their bites.
So, if your fork’s moving faster than your thoughts, consider building a chill dinner playlist. Skip the lyrics if you’re easily distracted and aim for soft, instrumental tracks. It may not be the most obvious wellness hack, but your stomach (and maybe your jeans) will thank you.
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