Released May 15, 2009
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Ever wonder why it's so hard to stop eating potato chips once the bag is open? Subtle factors such as bag size, appearance and portability are at work. Small influences like these result in 'mindless eating' and unhealthy choices, says Amy McClelland, Program Associate-SNAP-Education with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
McClelland works with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education or SNAP-Ed, a partnership between Extension, DHS, and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. The program provides nutrition information to eligible low-income individuals and families while encouraging healthy choices and active lifestyles. SNAP-Ed is one of many nutrition education programs offered by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Extension is incorporating the 'mindless eating' lifestyle concept developed by Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University. Wansink's research indicates that subtle factors - a container's size or shape or an item's wording on a menu or label, for example - influence people, causing them to mindlessly overeat.
According to Wansink's research, a person makes hundreds of food-related decisions each day and is unaware of nearly all of them. These decisions include basic questions such as having breakfast or skipping it, and finishing something or saving it for later.
"Mindless eating can lead you to eat more than you think you're eating," says McClelland. "Being aware of what you eat is an important step in controlling the amount and quality of food you eat," she says.
Appearance and convenience are key components in mindless eating.
For example, serving food in larger dishes makes portions appear smaller, resulting in bigger portions and unnecessary second servings. People are also likely to eat more candy from a clear dish, which showcases the candies, instead of an opaque dish.
Making food more visible makes people think about it when they see it, increasing snacking and adding a couple hundred calories each day. That may not sound like much, but adding barely a hundred calories a day can lead to over 10 pounds of extra weight in a year.
There is an upside to eating mindlessly, however - it works both ways.
Mindless eating works to a person's advantage by making small changes. "The goal is to help people make more mindful, enjoyable and healthy choices at the dinner table, in the grocery store, at work, and even at the vending machine," says McClelland.
People can eat slightly more or less, up to a 20 percent difference, without realizing it. A person should eat until they no longer feel hungry, not until they feel full.
Small changes take little effort, says McClelland. For example, use smaller plates and serve smaller portions. Put everything on a plate before eating, including dessert. It may be surprising to notice how much food is eaten in one sitting.
Here are a few food substitution ideas for more mindful eating:
- Ask for a take-home container when ordering at a restaurant. Then eat half the entrée and bring the rest home.
- Eat one-half of a bagel instead of a whole one.
- Substitute four egg whites or one-half cup egg substitute for two whole eggs.
- Replace eight ounces of soda or fruit juice with water.
Make three 100-calorie reductions in eating each day, and keep a checklist. "This small act of accountability makes you more mindful throughout the day," says McClelland. It may be surprising how many extra calories can be cut out.
It's important to change gradually - a drastic change in diet likely won't last.
"The concept of mindless eating is important because it can help us become more mindful of how much, what, and even why we eat," says McClelland.
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/may2009/0515mindless_eating.htm
Contact: Elizabeth Fortune, (501) 671-2120, efortune@uaex.edu