Gum chewing while walking increases fat oxidation and energy expenditure.
Susumu Kanno, Kanako Shimo, Tomonori Ando and 3 others
PMID 31164781WHAT IT FOUND
Walking while chewing gum increased fat burning and energy use compared with walking while eating a similar tablet.
The study was small and in healthy adults, so it does not show gum chewing prevents weight gain.
Key findings
01The primary outcome, fat oxidation, was 2.5 kcal/min with gum and 2.2 kcal/min with control, a reported 13.6% increase.
02Energy expenditure was 4.4 kcal/min with gum and 4.0 kcal/min with control, a reported 10.0% increase.
03Gum chewing while walking increased walking speed and step count and raised heart rate, but did not significantly change stride length.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 15 participants were analysed, including 5 females, and the age range was wide, so the study could not test age or sex differences. The participants were healthy employees, not people with obesity or clinical conditions, so the findings may not apply to patients needing weight management. One participant was excluded for technical outlier measurements, and heart rate data were missing for 2 participants. The study measured short-term fat oxidation and energy expenditure during walking, not weight change or long-term health outcomes. The authors' estimate of daily energy expenditure and possible weight maintenance was based on assumptions about walking time and gum chewing, not direct measurement. The number of chews per minute was not measured, so the dose of gum chewing is uncertain.
Declared interests
Authors received research grants or traveling expenses from Lotte Co., Ltd. The participants were recruited from the Lotte Central Laboratory.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that gum chewing while walking will cause weight loss. The study measured fat oxidation and energy expenditure during 15-minute walks in 15 healthy adults, not weight change over time, and the authors' daily calorie estimate was an assumption-based calculation.