Mindless Eating Brian Wansink, PhD. We make more than 200 decisions about food every day! Every one of us eats how much we eat largely because of what is around us.

TRAP #1: The size of the food’s container influences how much of it you eat. People given large buckets of popcorn ate 34% more than people given medium-sized buckets. We let the background of something interfere with how big we estimate its size to be. Black dot test Plate comparison Lines test -You may pour 70% more liquid & drink 25-30% more out of short, wide glasses because of the presentation.

TRAP #1 SOLUTIONS: Re-package jumbo sizes into smaller bags & containers; put extras out of sight for later use. Use smaller dinner plates. Don’t eat out of the bag; take out a serving & put the package away. Use smaller scoopers, spoons, etc.

TRAP #2: Your stomach can’t count. People eat about 92% of what they serve themselves. Refillable soup bowl It takes about 20 minutes for you to start feeling full. Chicken wing experiment Wing eaters with bones ate 28% less than those with no bones in front of them. Our lack of accurate food counting can affect our calorie intake & weight gain.

TRAP #2 SOLUTIONS: Keep evidence in front of you (wrappers, bones, etc.) Make smaller portions seem larger (plate size) Don’t be distracted while eating (TV) Limit high-calorie intake by adding healthy, lower calorie foods (Volume affects our eating choices.) Use a scale; watch “signal clothes” (distinguish between normal growth & excessive weight gain)

TRAP #3: Variety is the spice of life. The more variety we have, the more we eat. Jelly bean experiment People took nearly twice as many jelly beans from the mixture bowl. Consider: What do you do at buffets, receptions, Thanksgiving dinners?

TRAP #3 SOLUTIONS: Limit your options. Be mindful that you don’t have to try everything. Don’t keep more than one kind of cereal, crackers, or snack in your pantry; if you only have one kind, you will eat it more slowly.

TRAP #4: We are tempted by what we see. (the “see-food” diet….) When you salivate, your stomach contracts- the combination makes your brain believe that you are hungrier than you probably are. Secretaries Week experiment We eat more of visible “see-foods” because we think about them more. Ice cream experiment We eat foods that are most convenient.

TRAP #4 SOLUTIONS: Don’t put serving dishes on the table. Don’t walk near candy dishes; move tempting food to less convenient locations. Snack only at the kitchen table. Out of sight, out of mind. Take your portion, then put it away. Put healthy food within easy access.

TRAP #5: Eating with friends – the more people, the more you eat (up to 90% more than when you eat alone). Friends & family influence us by setting the pace for the meal. We mimic: ◦ The speed at which they eat, and ◦ How much they eat.

TRAP #5 SOLUTIONS: Try to be the last person to start eating. When eating in a group, pace yourself & eat slowly. Avoid “just one more helping”. Decide how much to eat before you start. Have your plate taken away when you are full (or you may nibble until your friends are done).