LONDON, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Using chopsticks helps you eat less and lose weight, says Kimiko Barber, author of "The Chopsticks Diet."

The human brain takes 20 minutes to register what the stomach contains, so using chopsticks slows a person's consumption, leaving them feeling satisfied while eating less, Barber said.


Chopsticks users also take smaller bites, which means food tends to be chewed more, making it easier to digest, she told The Daily Telegraph in a story published Saturday.

In Britain alone, an estimated 10 million people -- 24 percent of the population -- are clinically obese, The Telegraph reported, noting a third of the country is expected to qualify as obese by 2012 if eating habits remain the same. Doctors say obesity contributes to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and many cancers.