Yusra3
VIP Contributor
If you've ever found yourself eating an entire bowl of popcorn at the movies or mindlessly inhaling a bag of chips while watching TV, you're not alone. According to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE, these types of mindless eating sprees are actually common, and there are some factors that can predict when they'll happen. The findings suggest that people who tend to eat when they're bored or stressed should be aware of it and take steps to avoid it.
In the study, researchers surveyed more than 300 students at the University of Michigan on their eating habits and alsooffered them a questionnaire to assess their "mindful" food choices, or how much focus they devote to their food. The results showed that 20 percent of the students had engaged in some type of mindless eating within the previous week, and that people who were generally less mindful about their meals were more likely to have done so when compared with those who paid more attention to what they ate.
Some other predictors for mindless eating included being female, having experienced a stressful life event, or simply having snacked more often. While mindless eating can be harmless if it happens only occasionally.
In the study, researchers surveyed more than 300 students at the University of Michigan on their eating habits and alsooffered them a questionnaire to assess their "mindful" food choices, or how much focus they devote to their food. The results showed that 20 percent of the students had engaged in some type of mindless eating within the previous week, and that people who were generally less mindful about their meals were more likely to have done so when compared with those who paid more attention to what they ate.
Some other predictors for mindless eating included being female, having experienced a stressful life event, or simply having snacked more often. While mindless eating can be harmless if it happens only occasionally.
