Title : 6 Reasons You Should Not Watch TV While Eating
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6 Reasons You Should Not Watch TV While Eating
Tell us, when was the last time you sat down at the table to eat? If you can’t remember, then perhaps, you’ve been sitting in front of the TV for eons.
1.The Tendency of Eating More
Eating in front of the television increases the amount of food you consume, especially for sweet, calorie-packed snacks. To support that, in an experiment where 78 undergrads’ eating behavior was analyzed between the days when food was consumed in front of the TV and subsequent days when they were eating somewhere else, it has been discovered that most of the participants eat more than their regular meal every time they’re in front of the TV– this results in higher food consumption, particularly food with lots of sugar and fat. Wherein, the amount eaten was relative to the time spent in front of the television.
A similar experiment, 48 ladies were given 4 meal lunches and were asked to consume two of these in a quiet room, while the other two while being in front of the television. The result? The subjects consumed 13% more calories with the TV on.
What could be the possible reason for this? Basically, we’re exposed to a lot of food being advertised on TV, and in a typical one hour segment of your favorite TV show, you’ll more likely see around 12 beverage and food commercials that are very appetizing. Unfortunately, the most heavily advertised food items are usually high in sugar and fat– this definitely contradicts the recommended food guide. In contrast of healthy meals, such as those with fruits and vegetables, foods that are greasy are being featured instead.
2.TV Distracts You
The attention given on watching TV can distract a person from his eating behavior in a sense that it prevents the body from paying attention to the “internal processing food cues” as well as the “exerting the habitual dietary restraint.”
3.It Lowers the Metabolic Rate
Based on studies, watching TV doesn’t help in burning calories at all. Instead, it makes you spend a lesser amount of energy as compared to taking a rest. Wherein, if two individuals will be asked to watch the television or rest without watching the TV for one whole day, the person who watched the television would spend fewer calories as compared to the one who took rest instead.
4.Eating Subsequent Meals Becomes Tempting
Studies show that television can have an effect to one’s food intake– this extends even after watching TV, affecting later consumption. Particularly, watching TV during lunch hours increases the afternoon snack intake.
This was supported by an experiment where 16 women were asked to consume a meal while watching a video clip or without watching anything at all. Both of them ate the same lunch, and after several hours, the participants were given cookies as an afternoon snack. They were allowed to eat as much as they want. However, none of them knew that it was still part of the experiment.
Though, it showed that those who watched the 10-minute video clip ate more of these cookies as compared to those who did not. So, what could be the possible reason for this? Why watching TV does tempts us to eat more food at a later meal?
Professionals concluded that the distraction of attention away from the food while watching your favorite TV show makes it more challenging to recall that you’re indeed having a meal. Why is it even important to remember your last meal anyway? Well, based on studies, how much a person eats at a certain meal could be based on the information he has in his memory– about the most recent meal he had. This could be the possible reason why those who are suffering from amnesia have a tendency of overeating whenever someone offers then several meals.
In the experiment discussed above, the participants were also asked to rate how vividly they could remember the last meal they had. Interestingly, women who were watching TV as they ate had a harder time trying to recall what they have eaten, as compared to those who ate without watching TV.
5.It Blocks the Feeling of Satisfaction
Let’s be honest; you probably have enjoyed your favorite TV program while having a snack or dinner, right? Well, even though this may seem really relaxing to you, doctors still believe that these are non-compatible at all. For one, watching TV hinders the feeling of being satisfied, because the brain has no choice, but to focus on other things– what you’re watching while eating.
As you watch TV, you get a little bit relaxed, and you tend to separate yourself from your problems and daily routines– that’s if you’re not watching the news. The result? You’ll be submerged in a fictional world instead without even realizing it. Likewise, being in front of the television goes hand in hand with eating your favorite snacks– most of which containing a lot of fat and sodium.
6.Unhealthy Food Eating
The more TV the kids watch, the more unhealthy food they’ll be tempted to eat. Likewise, there will be instances where you would get interested in munching on something just because you’re “bored” while watching TV. This only suggests that television can trigger excessive snacking, and if left uncontrolled this would lead to obesity. No wonder why most kids these days tend to be obese.
Also, being in front of the TV hinders you from appreciating what you’re eating. Instead of taking your time to really enjoy the food and savor each bite, you focus on whatever you’re watching, especially if it’s something you really like. The faster you eat, the more difficult it becomes to digest the food you’re consuming. Likewise, it also tricks the brain that you should eat more.
Originally published by FitHog: http://fithog.com/6-reasons-you-should-not-watch-tv-while-eating/
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