Distracted eating leads to weight gain, says study
Posted on: 23/Aug/2015 1:21:35 PM
A study published in the journal Health Psychology has said that eating on the go, while walking or watching TV may lead to weight gain. According to researchers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, eating this way makes people eat more later during the day.
60 women were studied. They were both dieters and non dieters. They were divided into three groups and given a cereal bar each to eat. The first group was made to watch a clip from the TV show Friends while eating the bar; the second group was asked to walk around while eating; and the third group was asked to sit with a friend and converse while eating. After the experiment, they all filled up a questionnaire. Then, they had a taste test that included four bowls of snacks such as chocolate, carrot sticks, grapes and crisps. Once they left the room, researchers measure how much each person ate.
According to the researchers, Eating on the go may make dieters overeat later on in the day. This may be because walking is a powerful form of distraction which disrupts our ability to process the impact eating has on our hunger. Or it may be because walking, even just around a corridor, can be regarded as a form of exercise which justifies overeating later on as a form of reward. Even though walking had the most impact, any form of distraction, including eating at our desks can lead to weight gain. When we don`t fully concentrate on our meals and the process of taking in food, we fall into a trap of mindless eating where we don`t track or recognise the food that has just been consumed.
