Ever wondered why you get the munchies after working on a challenging project at the office or taking a tough exam? A new study shows that intellectual activities tend to make people eat more than just resting. The study divided a group of subjects into different 45-minute activities. The first group had to relax, the second group had to summarize a text, and the third group completed a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer. These are all sedentary activities, so they shouldn’t cause one group to eat more than another, right? Well, not exactly. After the sessions were completed, all of the participants were invited to eat as much as they’d like. Surprisingly, the students who had done the computer work ate 253 more calories than those who rested. Those who had summarized a text consumed 203 more calories than the resting group. Why the difference? One reason could be their fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Blood samples taken before and after the test revealed that levels tend to fluctuate more with the stress of thinking. Combine the fact that our society is more sedentary than ever (less physical labor, more desk jobs, more time in front of the TV and computer) with this propensity to eat more, and it becomes a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic in our country. Just another reason why regular exercise is so important- both for weight control and overall health. So what can you do? Find out more about How to Avoid On-the-Job Weight Gain. Have you ever noticed that you tend to be hungrier after completing a challenging (sedentary) task? How do you combat these urges? If you’re someone who works in an office or a student who sits at a desk all day, what strategies help keep your eating under control? |
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