CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Have you ever heard that eating less will make your stomach shrink? If so, you might be wondering if it's true or just a myth.
A WCNC Charlotte viewer emailed VERIFY asking that exact question, wondering if the old adage has any scientific truth.
THE QUESTION
Does someone’s stomach get smaller when they eat less?
THE ANSWER
No, your stomach won't get smaller if you eat less.
THE SOURCES
WHAT WE KNOW
According to the Bariatric Centers of America, almost all adults have the same stomach size despite varying heights and weights.
An average adult's stomach is 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. The stomach works as a balloon and stretches when you eat or drink and goes back to its regular size when emptied.
But if you’re on a diet and eat less? Does your stomach shrink?
"Once you reach your full-size stomach, even if you lose weight or eat less, the actual size of the balloon stays the same," Kohli said.
Kohli said it's not the stomach that’s physically shrinking but your appetite.
"The connection between the stomach and the brain will change such that even though the size of the stomach is the same that feeling of fullness the satiety signal will get triggered with less stretch than it did before and you’ll just eat smaller portions and you will still feel full," Kohli said.
Kohli said the only way to make your stomach smaller is if you have surgery.
An adult's stomach will stay the same size for the rest of your life unless you do a gastric sleeve or bypass to shrink down the size.
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According to Bariatric Centers of America, gastric bypass is used to restrict the amount of food that a person consumes and in turn your appetite shrinks because you can't eat as much.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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