Sequence 'alters people's calorie estimations' - Slimming Solutions

Sequence ‘alters people’s calorie estimations’

Sequence 'alters people's calorie estimations'The sequence in which people are shown items of food affects the amount of calories they estimate are in each piece, a study has shown, which could interest those embarking on a diet to lose weight.

Published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the study involved asking a group of people to guess how many calories were in two items of food – a cheese burger and a salad.

When asked in that sequence – cheese burger then salad – the average response was that the burger had 570 calories.

However, when asked to guess the content of a salad and then the burger, the participants estimated the latter to contain 787 calories.

"If individuals tend to overestimate the calorie content of healthy/indulgent sequences of items, they are also likely to exercise greater self-regulation in consumption," said study author Alexander Chernev of Northwestern University.

Those looking for a great exercise that will help them to burn calories and lose weight should give horse riding a go, Lynne Munro, chair of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Therapeutic Riding, claimed recently.

How good are you at guessing the calorie content of different foods?