Scientists from Uppsala University in Sweden studied 18 women, analyzing them as they ate snacks and watched different programmes. The women were shown a popular and interesting Swedish comedy as well as a boring lecture programme. The scientists also watched their eating habits carefully while the women took part in another boring activity-reading a text on insects living in Sweden.
Their findings showed that this type of content increased the possibility that a woman would snack on unhealthy food. While watching the boring lecture programme, the women ate 52 percent more food than they did during the interesting comedy. However, the women ate 35 percent less when watching the interesting comedy on TV compared with reading the text about insects.
Researchers have found that the more exciting a show is, the less likely the women are to eat unhealthy food. A boring show, on the other hand, increases the risk of eating unhealthy snacks.
The findings have made the team of scientists believe that it is how surprising the TV is, rather than the act itself, that causes a person to eat more. "If the programme is boring, you eat to engage yourself because you're bored," said Aner Tal, a researcher at Cornell University's Food Lab. But he suggested that you should choose healthy snacks while sitting on the sofa for a night in front of the TV. He added, "Use pre-portioned snacks instead of endless bowls." That means keeping the source of food out sight to prevent you from eating too much.
If you know you have the habit of overeating while watching TV, just snack on something that's better for you. Have vegetables as snacks instead of chips. Besides, next time you want to lose weights, try watching a nail-biting thriller （恐怖片）.
