More on the Dietary Effect of Who You Lunch With

About a month ago I wrote about the effect on a woman of having lunch with one or more male companions – her woman’s calorie intake is reduced.   Now there’s a study of another influence of lunch companions on calorie intake.  It’s reported in the Journal of Consumer Research. 

Two hundred and ten college students were recruited for the study, which was described as being about movie watching.  They were told they would be paired with another student, but in fact they were paired with a researcher who was naturally thin, but at times she wore an “obesity prosthesis”, making her appear overweight (180 pounds). 

All the students were offered snacks while viewing film clips – the researcher was served first, and she took a large or a small portion of the snack. The student was then offered the same plate of food.  In all cases, the amount of food the student took was similar to the portion size chosen by the undercover researcher, whether she was thin or appeared overweight.  However, the student’s portion was, in fact, smaller if her partner was obese rather than thin.

This study, according to the researchers, indicates that the size of the person one eats with matters less than the size of the meal they order.  If an overweight colleague eats a lot, you’re likely to eat a bit less.  But a thin colleague who eats a lot may cause you to eat more than you would otherwise.  You’ve been warned.  Eat lunch with an overweight female colleague, and order less than they do.