Honda NSX in Excess
15 years ago
Skinny friends may make you eat more
NEW YORK - That friend who stays thin despite eating anything and everything is not just annoying. She might also wreck your diet, new research suggests.
Researchers found that when they had college students watch a movie and snack with either a skinny or overweight companion, the students typically followed the thin friend's lead when she overindulged.
In contrast, study participants used more self-control when snacking with a heavier companion who overate.
The findings, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggest that seeing a thin friend devour a big meal gives us implicit permission to do the same.
"We think 'if she can eat like that and stay thin, so can I,' or 'she is having cake, then I can too,'" explained Dr. Brent McFerran, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, Canada.
"In other words," he told Reuters Health in an email, "the most dangerous person to eat with is not someone who is obese, but a thin friend with a large appetite."
For their study, McFerran and his colleagues recruited 210 female college students for what the participants believed was a study on movie viewing; each woman watched a movie with a companion, who was actually a member of the research team.
A model displays an outfit by Elio Berhanyer during the Spring/Summer 2007-08 Pasarela Cibeles fashion show in Madrid September 18, 2007.[Agencies]
In some cases, the researcher showed up as her normal 105-pound self, while in others she donned padding that made her appear to be obese.
During the movie, the pairs were offered snacks, with the undercover researcher taking her portion first.
In general, McFerran's team found, the students ate more when their thin companion took a large portion, versus cases where the "obese" companion took a similarly large portion.
For example, when the skinny researcher ate a lot (30 candies), the participants ate an average of 10 candies. When the researcher was "obese" and ate a lot, the kids ate about 6 candies.
"Eating involves much social pressure," McFerran said, noting that social influences may, in fact, be the strongest predictor of what we eat.
But the current findings do not mean that we need to cancel all future dinner plans with our overindulgent skinny friends.
"If we think about what we are doing in advance," McFerran said, "we are less likely to overconsume."
He suggested that instead of looking at a thin friend who is gorging on dessert and feeling permission to do the same, we should remind ourselves that individuals are different -- with different metabolisms and exercise habits, for example.
Focus on your own goal to eat healthfully, McFerran said, rather than automatically mimicking a friend.
He pointed out, however, that there is a "flip side": Friends who choose smaller portion sizes and healthier foods can encourage us to do so, especially if those friends are thin.
Read more!
Researchers found that when they had college students watch a movie and snack with either a skinny or overweight companion, the students typically followed the thin friend's lead when she overindulged.
In contrast, study participants used more self-control when snacking with a heavier companion who overate.
The findings, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggest that seeing a thin friend devour a big meal gives us implicit permission to do the same.
"We think 'if she can eat like that and stay thin, so can I,' or 'she is having cake, then I can too,'" explained Dr. Brent McFerran, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, Canada.
"In other words," he told Reuters Health in an email, "the most dangerous person to eat with is not someone who is obese, but a thin friend with a large appetite."
For their study, McFerran and his colleagues recruited 210 female college students for what the participants believed was a study on movie viewing; each woman watched a movie with a companion, who was actually a member of the research team.
A model displays an outfit by Elio Berhanyer during the Spring/Summer 2007-08 Pasarela Cibeles fashion show in Madrid September 18, 2007.[Agencies]
In some cases, the researcher showed up as her normal 105-pound self, while in others she donned padding that made her appear to be obese.
During the movie, the pairs were offered snacks, with the undercover researcher taking her portion first.
In general, McFerran's team found, the students ate more when their thin companion took a large portion, versus cases where the "obese" companion took a similarly large portion.
For example, when the skinny researcher ate a lot (30 candies), the participants ate an average of 10 candies. When the researcher was "obese" and ate a lot, the kids ate about 6 candies.
"Eating involves much social pressure," McFerran said, noting that social influences may, in fact, be the strongest predictor of what we eat.
But the current findings do not mean that we need to cancel all future dinner plans with our overindulgent skinny friends.
"If we think about what we are doing in advance," McFerran said, "we are less likely to overconsume."
He suggested that instead of looking at a thin friend who is gorging on dessert and feeling permission to do the same, we should remind ourselves that individuals are different -- with different metabolisms and exercise habits, for example.
Focus on your own goal to eat healthfully, McFerran said, rather than automatically mimicking a friend.
He pointed out, however, that there is a "flip side": Friends who choose smaller portion sizes and healthier foods can encourage us to do so, especially if those friends are thin.
Read more!
20-year-old brunette wins Miss Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela – Marelisa Gibson, a 20-year-old brunette, has been crowned Miss Venezuela and will represent the beauty-obsessed South American country at next year's Miss Universe pageant.
The annual Miss Venezuela pageant is the one of Venezuela's most watched programs and a source of national pride.
Venezuela has won six Miss Universe, five Miss World and four Miss International crowns — more than any other country.
Stefania Fernandez, a Venezuelan, was selected Miss Universe last month at the pageant in the Bahamas.
Miss Miranda, Marelisa Gibson Villegas turns on the runway during the swimsuit event of the Miss Venezuela 2009 a beauty pageant in Caracas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.[Agencies]
Fernandez gave the Miss Venezuela crown to Gibson at the conclusion of Thursday's four-hour pageant.
Second place went to 22-year-old Adriana Visini, who will represent Venezuela in the Miss World pageant.
Read more!
The annual Miss Venezuela pageant is the one of Venezuela's most watched programs and a source of national pride.
Venezuela has won six Miss Universe, five Miss World and four Miss International crowns — more than any other country.
Stefania Fernandez, a Venezuelan, was selected Miss Universe last month at the pageant in the Bahamas.
Miss Miranda, Marelisa Gibson Villegas turns on the runway during the swimsuit event of the Miss Venezuela 2009 a beauty pageant in Caracas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.[Agencies]
Fernandez gave the Miss Venezuela crown to Gibson at the conclusion of Thursday's four-hour pageant.
Second place went to 22-year-old Adriana Visini, who will represent Venezuela in the Miss World pageant.
Read more!
Heidi Klum's 'naughty' nude book
The Victoria's Secret model has teamed up with renowned photographer Rankin for the new tome, titled 'Rankin's Heidilicious'.
She explained: "It's very naughty. I've been shooting with Rankin, for seven years and working with him is fun because he always makes me look different.
"He always gets me to take my clothes off for some reason. We'll do some job and then he'll say, 'Why don't we shoot some more things?' and I'll wind up without anything on."
Heidi Klum is releasing a coffee table book full of nude pictures of herself.
The book is due to hit stores in October.
Heidi - who is currently pregnant and already raises three children with her musician husband Seal - has also spoken about the new Barbie doll which she has inspired.
The 36-year-old star was delighted to be offered the chance to be immortalised as part of the company's Blonde Ambition Collection as it gave her the chance to right alter something which has always annoyed her.
She explained to Los Angeles Confidential magazine: "They said, 'We want you to be part of this.' And I thought, 'Wow!' Growing up with Barbie, it was a dream to get my own. I got to go to Mattel and look through the heads and hair and outfits.
"I wanted it to be my daughter's favourite, so I'm wearing the glitziest pink mini dress in the world. And it always bothered me that Barbie was naked, so mine has on this cute pink bra and panties."
Read more!
She explained: "It's very naughty. I've been shooting with Rankin, for seven years and working with him is fun because he always makes me look different.
"He always gets me to take my clothes off for some reason. We'll do some job and then he'll say, 'Why don't we shoot some more things?' and I'll wind up without anything on."
Heidi Klum is releasing a coffee table book full of nude pictures of herself.
The book is due to hit stores in October.
Heidi - who is currently pregnant and already raises three children with her musician husband Seal - has also spoken about the new Barbie doll which she has inspired.
The 36-year-old star was delighted to be offered the chance to be immortalised as part of the company's Blonde Ambition Collection as it gave her the chance to right alter something which has always annoyed her.
She explained to Los Angeles Confidential magazine: "They said, 'We want you to be part of this.' And I thought, 'Wow!' Growing up with Barbie, it was a dream to get my own. I got to go to Mattel and look through the heads and hair and outfits.
"I wanted it to be my daughter's favourite, so I'm wearing the glitziest pink mini dress in the world. And it always bothered me that Barbie was naked, so mine has on this cute pink bra and panties."
Read more!
