Too Much Computer Time Promotes Overeating

BRISTOL, United KingdomIndividuals who participate in a lot of screen-time activities, such as working or playing games on their computers, are more likely to eat more during the day and have a higher risk for obesity, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers at the University of Bristol sought to explore ways in which memory and attention influence appetite and food intake. They divided 44 participants into two groups. One group ate a lunch comprised of nine items while playing Solitaire. The second group ate the same lunch without distractions.

Participants who played Solitaire felt less full after lunch, and the effects of distraction lasted longer. After 30 minutes, the distracted participants ate nearly twice as many snacks compared to the non-distracted participants. At the end of the session, the participants tried to remember the food items that they had been given for lunch. Distracted participants had a poorer memory.

This work adds to mounting evidence from our lab and others that cognition, and memory and attention in particular, play a role in governing appetite and meal size in humans," the researchers said.