Overweight diners may influence you to eat more 'unhealthy' food

A new study has revealed that when eating with or near an overweight person, one may end up eating more "unhealthy" food.

The study at Cornell University investigated the impact the presence of an overweight diner on healthy and unhealthy food choices and found that people are likelier to serve and eat more unhealthy foods and less healthy foods, when eating with or near someone who is overweight.

Lead author Mitsuru Shimizu said that this finding emphasizes the importance of pre-committing to meal choices before entering the restaurant and if one goes into the restaurant knowing what he will order, he is less likely to be negatively influenced by all of the things that nudge him to eat more.

This phenomenon is easy to avoid by simply assessing your level of hunger before going to the restaurant and planning your meal accordingly.

The study is published in Appetite.