New Study Sheds Light on Overeating
New Study Sheds Light on Overeating
--by Jeff Jurmain, MA
According to a new study, we often use evidence from our
surroundings when it comes to deciding how much we
should eat. This finding represents the latest step in
research on portion sizes, which are typically never related
to how hungry we actually are.
University of Pennsylvania researchers believe people
generally tend to think that having one of something -- an
apple, a soda, a hamburger -- is the correct amount to
consume. They label this "unit bias" and if you look at it, it
helps suggest why certain people believe a can of soda is
satisfying while others believe a larger bottle is the better
way to go. The soda just happens to be the size that they
have chosen -- and they will finish it knowing that they are
still having just one.
The idea isn't new to experts who focus their research on
dieting. It's the same sort of psychological approach to
eating that makes people finish the much larger than
necessary "supersized" fast-food meals and restaurant
portions that are put in front of them. If, for example, a
pear, bowl of cereal, or ice cream cone is small, then we'll
eat it. If it's big, we'll eat it, too. Whatever the serving size
is, we will eat it. Hence the reason why people looking to
lose weight should focus strongly on portion sizes.
The new study included several experiments designed to
manipulate a person's idea of how big the serving is. One
of them involved a bowl of "M&M" candies, placed in the
lobby of an apartment building. Beside it, they put a sign
saying that anyone could eat their fill, and use the spoon for
self-serve purposes. The bowl remained in its location for
10 days, but the researchers switched the size of the spoon
each day. Whenever the larger scoop was used, people
consistently took a lot more of the M&Ms.
Another focused on the sweet tooth as well, with a bowl
that either contained 80 small "Tootsie Rolls or 20 big
Rolls that were four times as big. Over 10 days, they found
that people again consistently took in more weight in candy
when it came in larger packages. Another experiment used
pretzels. This suggests that mindless eating contributes to
all kinds of hidden calories to your daily diet -- and
prevents weight loss.
If you're trying to lose weight, try tricking yourself with
this unit bias in mind. For example, when you are in a
restaurant, have the kitchen give you half the meal on a
plate and the other half in a take-home container. Then
you'll eat the meal in front of you, mentally believing that
it is the correct amount of food. Get creative and think of
other ways that you can help keep your portions in control.
|
