Based on data from nearly 60,000 people, a study published in the journal BMJ Open found that compared to those who wolfed down their food quickly, those who ate at a normal speed were 29% less likely to be obese. People who ate slowly were 42% less likely to be obese.

People who said they didn’t snack after dinner at least three times a week, and those who didn’t eat within two hours of bedtime, were also less likely to gain weight over the course of the study than those who did those behaviors.

Among other benefits, research has shown that a slower eating pace improves satiety, as it takes approximately 20 minutes from the start of a meal for your brain to register satiety (or fullness).