Obesity: our surroundings influence our appetite
According to an American study published in Appetite, sharing a meal with an overweight person has an influence on our appetite, and encourages us to consume non-dietary, fatty and unhealthy foods. This research showsthe involvement of those around us on our eating behavior.
The weight of our table mates plays a role in our food choices
Indeed, this American study(1) focused on students to show that sharing meals with rather overweight people opens the appetite and generates bad eating behaviors.
Involving 82 students with an average age of 19.5 years, researchers fromSouthern IllinoisUniversity andCornell University analyzed eating behaviors using a simple experiment. Participants had a choice of two dishes: spaghetti bolognese and mixed salad. To confirm their hypothesis, the researchers confronted the students with four different table neighbors: a normal-weight person eating pasta, a normal-weight person eating salad, then an obese person also eating pasta, and finally an obese person eating salad.
Each participant showedan influenceon their eating behavior in these four situations. “People feel less concerned about their health when they are around overweight people andfeel less guilty abouteating unbalanced, than in the presence of a thin person,” says Mitsuru Shimizu, who specializes in psychology at Southern Illinois University.
The conclusions of this study also show a significant psychological dimension on our eating behavior.
In addition, with these results, researchers have demonstrated the involvement of those around us in our food choices, thus promoting foods with nutritional value rich in fats and sugars in the presence of an overweight or obese person.
Our eating habits are already the target of much research
This study confirms research already carried out in the field of food and nutrition, more particularly with regard to eating habits.
The findings corroborate the results of a previous study published in the journal Plos One. The Washington researchers also drew conclusions on college students, who were overweight and accompanied by rather thin classmates, had a40% chance of weight loss within the year, compared to a 27% risk of weight gain. On the other hand, if their classmates were obese, they had an annual risk of weight gain of about 56%, compared to a 15% chance of losing weight.
This very alarming observation shows a huge part of the involvement of the entourage in our diet, as well as a psychosocial dimensionaffecting our behaviors and food choices.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.