The effects of gum chewing while walking on physical and physiological functions.
Yuka Hamada, Takuma Yanaoka, Kyoko Kashiwabara and 5 others
PMID 29706720WHAT IT FOUND
Chewing gum while walking slightly raised heart rate during walking and the rise from rest.
Overall energy expenditure and walking distance did not differ, except in some groups.
Key findings
01Only walking heart rate and the change in heart rate from rest differed between the gum and control trials across all participants.
02In middle-aged/elderly male participants, the gum trial differed significantly from control on walking distance, walking speed, steps, resting heart rate, walking heart rate, heart rate change, and energy expenditure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included 46 adults aged 20s to 60s with BMI 22 to 30 kg/m2 and a gum-chewing habit, and it did not describe a mobility-limited or clinical population. The trial was open, so participants knew whether they were chewing gum or taking the control powder. Energy expenditure was estimated from walking speed and body mass using a formula, not measured directly. The number of chews while walking was not measured, so the dose of chewing is unknown. The study reported many gender and age subgroup comparisons, and the overall energy expenditure result was not among the significant outcomes. The study was funded by Lotte Co., Ltd., and S.K. and T.A. are employees of that company.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a research grant from Lotte Co., Ltd. S.K. and T.A. are employees of Lotte Co., Ltd., and the paper states they were not involved in data acquisition, statistical analysis, or interpretation. M.M. has no professional relationships with the company.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that chewing gum while walking is a proven weight-management strategy. The trial measured a 15-minute walk, estimated energy expenditure rather than measuring it, and reported overall significant differences only for heart rate.