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Increasing the Thermic Effect of Food on Women Through Concentration on Meal Frequency, Eating Speed, and Meal Nutrients

2023

Introduction

Food and nutrition are essential in ensuring one's health and body weight remain in their ideal range for a healthy lifestyle. As the body burns calories, a certain amount of heat is created, which is the thermic impact of food. The thermic effect of food, often known as TEF, is the term used to describe the rise in metabolic rate that follows food consumption. When food is consumed, the body must use energy to digest the meal, absorb the nutrients it contains, and store any surplus energy as either fat or glycogen. Energy is necessary for this process, and the amount of energy required varies according to the kind and quantity of food consumed by the individual.

Past studies have shown that one may boost the thermogenic impact of food by adjusting the number of meals consumed, the rate at which they are consumed, and the kind of foods consumed during each meal. Through concentration on meal frequency, eating speed, and meal nutrients, women can increase the thermic effect of food-the quantity of energy that must be used by the body to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food consumed. Evidence from the three papers investigated indicates that concentrating on the thermogenic impact of meals may be a helpful method for women who want to keep their weight under control and may increase their daily caloric expenditure. This paper investigates whether women may improve their metabolic response to meals by paying attention to the abovementioned aspects.

A significant amount of research has been conducted in the field of the thermic effect of food to examine the relationship between various diets and how it influences TEF. People can improve their overall energy expenditure by focusing on how they eat food and adjust it according to their needs and goals. The research studies cited in this article demonstrate that a few alterations to one's diet may ultimately lead to an increase in TEF. The TEF is susceptible to change based on the macronutrient profile of the consumed meal. The thermic impact of protein is the greatest, followed by that of carbs and finally by that of lipids. This indicates that if the meal is heavy in protein, the body will burn more calories while digesting that food than it would if it was high in fat because protein is a more thermogenic macronutrient than fat. Also, having a regular eating pattern, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the exact times each day, may assist in building a steady metabolic rate and enhance TEF. By maintaining a regular eating pattern, the body can anticipate the ingestion of food and prepare for the digestion and absorption of nutrients, ultimately resulting in a more effective TEF and enhanced metabolic health. The third factor is eating speed. "Fast eating may reduce the TEF, potentially because a decrease in mastication frequency decreases sympathetic nervous system activity" (Toyama et al. 140). Therefore, having a regular eating pattern, not speed eating, and consuming protein-dense meals are proven to increase the thermic effect of food.

Since the thermic effect of food indicates that part of the calories ingested is burnt off via digestion, it may be essential for weight control. This is because it suggests that some of the calories consumed are turned into energy. For instance, after a meal with a total of 500 calories but a high TEF, the body may only absorb and retain 400-450 of those calories, while the other calories are burnt off as heat. This occurs because a high TEF makes it more difficult for the body to convert food into energy. Increasing the thermic effect of food has various positive health effects, including lowering the risk of obesity in women, assisting in maintaining healthy body weight, improving exercise performance, facilitating fat loss more expediently, and enhancing digestion.

Results

The paper "The effect of fast eating on the thermic effect of food in young Japanese women" by Toyama et al. investigates the correlation between the rate at which young Japanese women consume food and their levels of the thermic effect of food (TEF). Nine healthy Japanese college women between 19 and 26 (mean: 22.0 2.1 years) were used as subjects.

Participants in the research were required to abstain from smoking and have breakfast daily. They had not done any exercise training in the previous half a year, and they didn't keep up with it throughout the research, either. During the study, the subjects did not have their periods. It is a randomized crossover experiment where people ate a test meal with the same amount of calories and nutrients in two different ways. On the day before the experiment, the volunteers were asked to complete eating their evening meal by 21:00 h, fast save for water until they arrived at the lab the following day, go to bed by 23:00 h, and measure and record their oral temperature when they woke up. They were warned the day before the testing to refrain from intense exercise, coffee, tea, fatty meals, alcohol, and spices, as well as to avoid coffee and tea. Participants arrived at the laboratory while fasting at 08:00 h, which was 1 hour before the measurements, and they were advised to walk carefully to avoid excessive effort. On consecutive days, each individual ate the test meal utilizing two alternative eating habits. One pattern entailed eating the test meal in 5 min (rapid eating) and the other in 15 min (normal eating), which was close to the respondents' typical mealtime. As a result, energy expenditure rose consistently when individuals began eating the test meal. At 5 min after eating, rapid eating had a considerably greater TEF than usual. Fast eating had a considerably lower TEF than usual, eating at 10, 15, and 20 min after eating and for the combined 15 min after eating. The two eating habits were identical from 25 to 60 minutes after eating. In the Discussion section, it is indicated that "eating a single meal of a larger size increased the TEF after eating, compared with an intake of six meals of smaller size with the same energy content." Certain limitations to the study, like the small sample size, narrow age range, and women-only participation, restrict this research. The respondents typically ate slowly. Thus we did not evaluate the TEF for the same energy intake between fast and slow eaters. So, it is unclear whether chronic rapid eating reduces TEF and causes obesity. Fast-eating research on obese people will give further proof. This research may not apply to males or other ages since energy expenditure varies by age and sex. Nonetheless, this pilot research may be utilized as a foundation for more extensive investigations in various ages and males. This study supports my topic of strategies for increasing the thermic effect of food through eating habits in healthy females. It is hypothesized that eating quickly decreases the TEF when eating, most likely due to a reduction in the frequency of mastication, which in turn lowers activity in the sympathetic nervous system. Even with the same calorie intake, fast food may lower daily energy expenditure.

The paper "Thermic effect of food, exercise, and total energy expenditure in active females" by Binns et al. is a randomized study done with ten normal-weight and physically active women. The women were moderately active, burning between 500 and 2000 kcal/wk; 15 had no past story of metabolic problems like diabetes and had not gained or lost more than 2 kg in the last six months. The women in the study had regular menstrual cycles and did not utilize medications that altered their metabolism or physiological function. After preliminary testing, individuals returned three times and were randomly subjected to different eating programs and an exercise session for four weeks. Each test was separated by seven days. Participants were instructed to avoid activity, usually eat, and sleep well 24 hours before testing. On testing days, participants were advised to conduct little exercises like washing teeth, putting clothes on, and using the elevator when they arrived. After a 12-hour fast (no food/beverage/alcohol/caffeine), participants got their meals. In conclusion, the meal with high protein values increased TEF by 30.39% and 98.15% compared to the low-protein meal (p =.006) and fasting condition (p <.001). The low-protein breakfast increased TEF by 94.34% compared to fasting (p <.001). During exercise, high protein meal TEF was substantially higher than fasting (p =.010) but not higher than low protein meal (p =.122). Low-protein meals with exercise did not vary from fasting circumstances (p =.094). The findings of this research shed light on the enhanced TEE that occurs during acute high-protein eating settings. These conditions were compared to low protein meals and a fasting state. As a consequence of TEF, there is the potential for additional increases in TEE, especially when combined with exercise. This study supports my topic of strategies to increase the thermic effect of food through eating habits in healthy females. If women eat protein-dense meals, the thermic effect of food would be more significant.

In the paper "Decreased thermic effect of food after an irregular compared with a regular meal pattern in healthy lean women" by Farshchi et al., the population characteristics are nine healthy, lean women between the ages of 18 and 42 who took part in a randomized crossover trial that lasted 43 days and had three parts. At the beginning and end of phases 1 and 3, the subjects went to the lab. In Phase 1, which lasted 14 days, people were asked to eat the same things as usual, but either six times a day (a regular meal pattern) or between three and nine times a day, with the same total number of meals over the week. In Phase 2, which lasted 14 days, the people kept eating what they usually did as a "wash-out" period. In Phase 3, which lasted 14 days, the subjects ate meals in a different order than they did in Phase 1. With the controlled variables and looking at many aspects like appetite measurement and mean energy intake, the assessment method is appropriate. Compared to regular, irregular meal frequency led to less energy use after a meal, but the average amount of energy taken in remained mostly the same between the two. Since TEF with irregular meal timing was reduced, it might result in weight gain over time. Therefore, having a regular pattern for healthy lean women (ex., meal six occasions per day) results in higher TEF values than having irregular patterns like(between 3 and 9 meals/day. This study supports my topic because it shows that having a regular meal schedule can increase TEF for healthy women. The conclusion of the paper reaches the same conclusion as my hypothesis. Thus, it should be one of the criteria considered when designing a diet plan for women to increase the thermic effect of food.

Conclusion

This study investigated how the thermic effect of food is influenced by meal frequency, eating speed, and meal composition in women. The study objective was to determine whether these parameters might be altered to boost the thermic impact of food, leading to possible weight control and health advantages. According to a comprehensive analysis of the current research, clear evidence supports this concept. By paying attention to meal frequency, eating pace, and nutritional composition, women can boost the thermic impact of food, resulting in better metabolism and possibly positive effects on weight control and general health. Further study in this area might assist in enhancing these ideas and creating techniques that people can use in their everyday lives.

Eating speed is one of the ways eating habits impact TEF. Eating fast reduces the TEF while eating, most likely due to a reduction in the frequency of digestion, which in turn reduces sympathetic nervous system activity. In the paper titled "The effect of fast eating on the thermic effect of food in young Japanese women" by Toyama et al., the relationship between the pace at which young Japanese women consume food and their levels of the thermic effect of food is examined. The results of the random crossover experiment designed confirm the thesis that healthy females might increase the thermic impact of food through their eating habits. According to Toyama et al.," In the present study, fast eating resulted in fewer mouthfuls, more food per mouthful, and fewer chews per mouthful, indicating that, although more food was placed in the mouth with each mouthful during fast eating, less chewing occurred. Levine et al. (1999) reported that mastication of chewing gum increases energy metabolism by 19% compared with metabolism at rest. Similarly, energy metabolism during ingestion increased by 20.6 ± 4.3% with regular eating in the present study; however, energy metabolism with fast eating increased to 25.2 ± 7.6%, higher than that with regular eating." (144) Even with the same caloric intake, fast eating may reduce the energy expended daily.

Another factor affecting food's thermic effect is the protein amount consumed. According to the paper "Thermic effect of food, exercise, and total energy expenditure in active females" by Binns et al., "the TEF after high protein or low protein meal consumption was significantly greater than that of the fasted state. Additionally, the TEF potentiated after high protein meal consumption was significantly greater than the low protein meal" (206). Their randomized study was done with ten normal-weight, physically active women and proved that the thermic impact of food would be increased for women if they ate meals high in protein content. The intake of meals high in protein results in more energy expenditure via dietary thermogenesis than the consumption of meals low in protein. Consuming meals with low protein content results in a higher rate of energy expenditure via dietary thermogenesis than the state of fasting.

Lastly, meal frequency plays a crucial role in increasing TEF in women. The paper "Decreased thermic effect of food after an irregular compared with a regular meal pattern in healthy lean women" by Farshchi et al. examines how eating patterns impact the thermic effect of food through randomized crossover trials. Compared to the regular meal frequency, the irregular meal frequency resulted in a lower quantity of energy being used after a meal; nevertheless, the average amount of energy consumed did not differ significantly between the two meal patterns. TEF with irregular meal timing may result in weight gain over time. Hence, for healthy, lean women, having a regular pattern (for example, eating six times a day) resulted in greater TEF levels than having irregular patterns (such as eating between three and nine times a day). This research demonstrates that maintaining a regular meal schedule might lead to greater TEF in healthy women. As a result, it should be one of the variables examined when establishing a diet plan for women to improve the thermic impact of food.

The growing prevalence of weight issues in women of the globe has become a significant public health issue. Regardless of their motivation, women who struggle with weight gain or who are not content with their current weight are in a cycle of attempting to lose weight. It may be utilized for health, aesthetic, or athletic purposes. In all of these contexts, the one thing that all women have in common is their never-ending struggle to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. In the paper "A Multidimensional Weight-Management Program for Women," the authors indicate that, "It is widely acknowledged that moderate overweight and obesity in women are associated with increased all-cause mortality (10), (11). Friedman and Brownell (6) and Wooley (12) maintain that dieting, weight loss, and weight cycling also have potentially harmful effects. Furthermore, continuous attempts to achieve a low weight predispose a person to develop distorted body images, unusual attitudes toward weight and eating, and eating disorders (5), (13), (14). Thus, the treatment of one disease (obesity) to prevent associated health problems, or merely dieting for aesthetic reasons, may contribute to the development of other health problems or be the major cause for the development of another disease (eating disorders)". Many variables, including changes in food habits, sedentary lifestyles, heredity, and environmental factors, contribute to the development of weight disorders. It is crucial to consider the thermic impact of food since it plays a vital role in metabolism and energy expenditure. By boosting the thermic impact of food, women may raise their total energy expenditure and metabolic rate, which may be advantageous for weight control and general health. In addition, knowing the thermic impact of food may aid people in making educated dietary decisions since some foods have been demonstrated to have a more significant thermic effect than others. Paying attention to the thermic impact of food may assist people in optimizing their diet and lifestyle choices to promote health and well-being.

Existing research shows that women may be able to boost the thermic impact of food by manipulating meal frequency, eating speed, and nutritional content; nevertheless, more study has to be conducted in this area. Further study might aid in refining our knowledge of the processes behind food's thermic impact and identifying the most effective ways to raise energy expenditure and metabolic rate. For instance, research may examine the influence of certain nutrients or nutrient combinations on the thermic effect of food, or they could examine the effects of various kinds of meals (e.g., high-protein, high-fat, high-carbohydrate) on metabolic rate.

Sources

Binns, Ashley et al. "Thermic effect of food, exercise, and total energy expenditure in active females." Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport vol. 18,2 2015: 204–8. doi:10.1016/ J.jsams.2014.01.008

Farshchi, H R, et al. "Decreased Thermic Effect of Food after an Irregular Compared with a Regular Meal Pattern in Healthy Lean Women." Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 16 Mar. 2004, https://www.nature.com/articles/0802616#cite.

Kenji Toyama, Xifan Zhao, Sachi Kuranuki, Yasuo Oguri, Eriko Kashiwa(Kato), Yutaka Yoshitake & Teiji Nakamura (2015) The effect of fast eating on the thermic effect of food in young Japanese women, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 66:2, 140-147, DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2014.986069

Pi-Sunyer, Xavier. "The medical risks of obesity." Postgraduate medicine vol. 121,6 2009: 21–33. doi:10.3810/pgm.2009.11.2074

SENEKAL, MARJANNE, et al. "A Multidimensional Weight-Management Program for Women." Journal of the American Dietetic Association, vol. 99, no. 10, 1999, pp. 1257-1264, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(99)00308-9. Accessed 18 Apr. 2023.