Why Action Movies Can Make You Fat...And How Charlie Rose Can Slim You Down

September 2, 2014

If you saw the summer blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend, you may be feeling a bit fat right now. The distraction associated with watching TV and movies has long been known to prompt elbow-deep dipping into popcorn tubs and overeating in general. Now we also know—based on a study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association: Internal Medicine—that the type of show can have an even bigger effect.

Researchers at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab recruited 94 undergraduates to snack on M&Ms, cookies, carrots, and grapes while watching 20 minutes of: 1) the action movie The Island; 2) the Charlie Rose Show, or; 3) the same segment from The Island but without sound. Those in the first group ate 98% more, or nearly twice as much, than those watching the talk show. Even those watching The Island without sound ate 36% more than the Charlie Rose viewers.


So why do action movies make us eat more? The Cornell group is researching this further, but there are several possibilities: 

“It might be that when you’re more stimulated you eat more,” says lead study author Aner Tal, PhD. In other words, the adrenaline rush triggered by all that action makes us eat faster.

The pace of the show might also play a role, with a more dynamic pattern of motion and camera cuts leading to an increased pace of eating.

Or, it might simply be distraction at work again. The more your attention is absorbed by the storyline, the less you’re aware of your waistline. “Mindless eating,” says Tal. (Combine that with these 15 terrible snacks for weight loss and you're not doing yourself any favors.)

To counteract these effects, Tal recommends having a snacking strategy before sitting down in the theater or your living room. Have portioned foods (a kid-size bag of chips or a small cup of froyo, for example) instead of a limitless supply. Or, even better, keep fruits and veggies handy. “We find you eat more of the snacks you have regardless of what they are,” he explains. “So use this to eat your quota of scrumptious veggies rather than filling yourself up with fatty, salty or sugar snacks.” 

Got that?

Good, because the next Hunger Games opens November 21.

MORE: 25 Healthy Snacks That Won't Leave You Hungry