Kids eat more when in large groups

by Nicole Weston, Posted Feb 20th 2007 @ 12:03PM

It is never too early to develop good eating habits and, by the same token, it is never too early to develop bad ones, either. Like most habits, children learn by watching and interacting with others, but it turns out that when it comes to food, these "others" might not be the best influence. In a study published online in The Archives of Disease in Childhood, researchers from the University of Michigan relate the results of a study they conducted that looked at a possible cause of childhood overeating. The researchers found, after looking at preschoolers in groups of 3-9, that the kids ate up to 30% more in the larger groups than the smaller ones. Not only did they eat more, but they also ate much faster. This frenzied eating is also exhibited by many different kinds of animals when placed in groups (albeit not with graham crackers to tempt them), so it is likely that it is some manifestation of the survival instinct. The problem is that it can be conditioned into an unconscious impulse if this is the environment that the kids are in all the time.

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Filed Under: Science, Cooking With Kids, Trends, Did you know?, Super Size Me
Tags: children, did you know, eating, fat, groupss, habits, health, kid, kids, obesity, preschool, super size me

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-20-2007 @5:11PM Jessica said... Preschoolers? Does this sound like an accurate description of a college dining hall or what? Watch the 20-somethings wolf down food, lingering for hours and eating dessert 3 times!
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2-20-2007 @11:51PM esmereldagrubb said... This seems odd to me, i would think that people in general weat much more when they are alone, especially bingeing ( a very private activity) because no one is watching so there is less shame, or havent you heard someone say "If someone doesnt see me, its like it doesnt count"?........i know i eat more by myself....i like my privacy when it comes to eating.
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2-23-2007 @12:58PM Adriane said... I would definitely agree that people tend to eat more in groups- think of group events, like watching sports, going to the movies, etc where people CHOW DOWN, even when not hungry. I wonder if that is coincidence or partly instinctual?
Also- during this survey of the preschoolers..were they given one bowl to share from or did they all have their own?
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