Dieting, it appears, is a very unsociable act. We eat more when we're around others, a University of Toronto study confirms. And if those other folks happen to be friends, we're especially likely to gobble some extra dessert. (Veteran party goers, of course, already knew that.)
The researchers recruited female college students for a "catch a movie and a bite to eat" scenario, allegedly to see how people react to media presentations. What they really monitored, though, was how many post-film deli sandwiches and Oreos each person ate.
Women who participated as part of a two- or four-person group polished off some 700 calories worth of food. That was double what solitary controls ate, Peter Herman, Ph.D, and colleagues report. And group eaters consumed up to five times more cookies than lone diners, particularly if their fellow film-goers were friends.
Wouldn't we expect people in social situations to eat less, not more, so as not to seem like gluttons? It's true that in sensitive settings--say, a first date with a cute guy or gal--we may cut our intake to make a good impression.
