FRIENDLY
FOOD
If you dine out with a friend who shares
the same goals, chances are you’re going
to be more likely to choose a venue that
offers healthier alternatives. And, on
the occasion you are out together where
there are foods on offer that you were
trying to limit, Diet Buddies might just
offer each other the support they need to
stay on track.
Scientific research has shown that there’s
a powerful inf luence of friends on our
eating behaviour. For instance, a large
study from Arizona State University
showed that if our friends are heavy,
we’re more likely to be heavy also.
The reasons for this may include peer
pressure;ifourfriendsareeatinga
slice of cake, we’re more inclined to
have some too.Or it may be that we
lose sight of what our weight should be
when those around us are carrying a
little extra weight, or simply that we have
the same bad habits when it comes to
choosing foods and snacking.
So while we know that friends eating
can cause us to eat more than we
normally would, a study conducted at the
University of Minnesota has shown that
friends can also be helpful in reducing
the amount we eat. The study observedeating behaviour when small groups of
friends got together to discuss a campus
issue. In half of the groups, two of the
three friends were asked to restrict
what they ate while the third friend was
unaware of them being asked not to eat
too much; whereas the other groups
were allowed to eat as they normally
would. After the group discussion, the
friends were then asked to take their
plates of cookies into separate rooms to
complete another task individually. The
researchers found that the student who
was unaware that the friends had been
asked to restrict their consumption of
cookies, ate fewer cookies. Even after
the friends split up, people continued to
eat fewer cookies alone if they had just
watched their friends avoid eating the
cookies. This highlights that
even when we’re not with our
friends, their eating habits can still
influence ours, for
the better.A recent study found that
one friend is lost per three
kilograms dropped.
PHOTO CREDIT:SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
oxygenmag.com.au | JULY/AUG 2015 | 67FITNESS
SISTERS