Effect of postprandial gum chewing on diet-induced thermogenesis

Abstract

Objective To examine the effect of postprandial gum chewing on diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). Methods Twelve healthy normal-weight males completed four trials on four different days. They chewed a 621-kcal test meal for as long as possible and as many times as possible in the slow-eating trials, while they consumed the same meal as rapidly as possible in the rapid-eating trials. In the gum-chewing trials, they chewed a 3-kcal gum for 15 min after the meal. In the non-gum-chewing trials, they consumed 3 kcal of sugar with the test meal instead of chewing the gum. DIT was calculated based on the oxygen uptake, body mass, and postprandial increments in energy expenditure above the baseline as measured before each trial. Results DIT was significantly greater in the gum-chewing trials than in the non-gum-chewing trials for both rapid-eating and slow-eating trials. The difference in DIT between rapid-eating and slow-eating trials was greater than that between non-gum-chewing and gum-chewing trials. Conclusions Postprandial gum chewing enhanced DIT, but the effect of gum chewing on DIT did not exceed that of slow eating when consuming a meal.