Hanging out with your healthy friends seems to be the newest dieting technique, according to a study conducted by Brenna Ellison from the University of Illinois. After examining 3 months worth of restaurant receipts, in which the group of customers served had received menus coded with traffic-light health symbols (green is the healthiest, red is the least healthy) and calorie counts under the item choices, Ellison found that the larger tables had ordered fewer calories, on average. This points to a level of peer pressure that kept the calorie count down. It appears that individuality is not showcased when it comes to dinner choices; in fact, the study showed that people were happier when they made similar choices to those sitting around them.
Keep in mind that this will go both ways. While your health-nut friend may make you feel like you really do want that tofu, your less health conscious friend can have you ordering that red-light dessert, and extra glass of wine. The takeaway: spend more time choosing your company than your dinner.
(* This research has not yet been peer reviewed)
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Rebecca
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References: Can't Settle on a Menu Selection? Listen to Your Tablemates, HealthDay, http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutritional-information-27/food-and-nutrition-news-316/dining-out-tonight-681445.html
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