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In the company of a small eater you eat less yourself

In the company of a small eater you eat less yourself

Everyone has someone in their circle of friends who doesn't eat very much. There is a good chance that you will also eat less if you eat in his or her company.

Pattern
Time and time again, studies confirm that how much you eat is related to your company. If someone else eats a lot, then you are more likely to eat too much yourself, while you eat less in the company of small eaters.

Read also:Eating alone:​​healthy or unhealthy?

Different situations
Whether it concerns healthy or unhealthy snacks, meals or with test subjects who were not allowed to eat anything all day. If there is someone who eats little, the test subjects eat less. Even if you get a list of what someone else has eaten, it affects how much you eat yourself.

How is that possible?
We may use others as an example. "How much food scooping is actually appropriate at this party?" The effect is stronger in old children than in young children. So it seems that the behavior is learned. Furthermore, the effect is stronger in men than in women. Perhaps because women are more likely to care about what others think of their eating habits.