81% of Irish adults ‘speed eat’ main meal in under 20 minutes
According to the new Rennie 'Gut Feeling' survey, 81% of Irish adults speed eat main meals in under 20 minutes
Print21 October 2013
A new survey from Rennie shows 81% of Irish adults spend under 20 minutes eating dinner
Gut Feelings, a new national survey, carried out by iReach on behalf of Rennie in September 2013, has found that with the popularity of fast food on the increase and the demise of eating meals around a table, the average Irish person eats their main meal of the day in less than 20 minutes. It is also claimed by the report that one in four people in Ireland spends less than 10 minutes eating their dinner.
The study found that more women than men (77% and 67% respectively) are likely to "speed feed" despite the fact that they are more likely to be aware of the negative effects. It is believed the fact that so many Irish women are juggling family needs, running the home and work, is a crucial factor in their quick consumption of food. It was also found that young people are the worst offenders of speed eating with 81% of young people spending less than 20 minutes to eat dinner.
Eating too much or too quickly, stress and irregular eating patterns can all cause indigestion and heartburn. Recent research carried out by Rennie showed that the majority of adults (86 per cent) have suffered some stomach related ailment in the past 12 months.
"Most Irish people are rushing through their meals in a matter of minutes to ‘get on with other things’ such as chores, work, looking after children or commuting which means they aren’t giving themselves the time to chew and digest their food. This common pattern results in an increase of people suffering with digestive issues such as indigestion and heartburn" explained Jennifer Walsh, brand manager, Rennie.
Speaking about Rennie’s ‘Gut Feelings’ research, Allison Keating, behavioural psychologist said: "Work, anxiety and stress combined with a hectic hurried pace of life are all having a detrimental impact upon people’s stomachs. The recession has taken its toll on everyone – men, women and adolescents, both emotionally and physically."
Keating suggests that eating together, eating slower, not skipping breakfast, avoiding ‘deskfast’ and making meal times more enjoyable can reduce stress while eating.
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