Vindication

For those of us who eat very slowly.

In the NY Times's Economix blog, Catherine Rampell charts some OECD data about minutes spent eating per day and obesity rates in various countries. I'm not surprised to find out that the fastest eaters are also the most obese (and guess which country takes the cake, so to speak).

So slow eaters, next time you're feeling self-conscious because all the other plates on the table are empty and everyone's fidgeting; next time you leave half your food so as not to keep your colleagues waiting; next time you hear the condescending "Oh good for you, you're probably really healthy;" remember you're not alone. And you're less likely to be a blimp. Not so helpful, but perhaps a small comfort nonetheless.