Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
We all know that we should watch what we eat. Now, a new study says we should also mind what we watch.
Dr. Aner Tal, of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, is the lead author of the study that found watching action-packed TV programs led to overeating.
"We think basically it's an issue of divided attention," Tal said. "So the busier you are watching what's on the screen, the less you have attention and resources to watch what you put in your mouth."
The study took 94 undergraduate students, most of whom were females around 20 years old. They were randomly assigned to watch 20 minutes of a fast-paced action movie or a slower-paced TV program.
Those who watched the fast-paced program ate 98 percent more food than those who watched the slower-paced program, the study found.
Tal says snack choices are important. Although action movie viewers ate more, they also got in more vegetables because those options were made available. Tal also recommended portioning out snacks to avoid overeating.