October 11, 2006
Should We Be More Aware Of Our Eating Habits?
Over at nytimes.com (Subscription may be required) there is an interesting story that talks about current research looking at cues to eating behavior.
Although people think they make 15 food decisions a day on average, [Prof. Brian Wansink's] research shows the number is well over 200. Some are obvious, some are subtle. The bigger the plate, the larger the spoon, the deeper the bag, the more we eat. But sometimes we decide how much to eat based on how much the person next to us is eating, sometimes moderating our intake by more than 20 percent up or down to match our dining companion.
Much of his work is outlined in the book “Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think” (Bantam), which will be published on Tuesday.
Perhaps this type of research will lead to a more informed consumer.
For more information visit the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab.