Boredom Boosts Fat & Sugar Cravings
Need another reason to keep active? Research from the University of Central Lancashire suggests you’re more likely to reach for unhealthy food choices after completing or boring task. Not only does boredom influence decisions about food quality, it also seems to play a role in the quantity consumed.
Forty-five subjects snacked while watching either boring or funny videos. By weighing treat bowls after the video viewing, researchers determined how many healthy and unhealthy snacks were consumed. They theorized that boredom leaves you with low levels of the feel-good brain chemical dopamine, so we compensate by eating sugar and fat to stimulate its release. Going for a run might be a better alternative.