Viewers Eat More When Watching Action-Filled TV Shows

Too much TV may be bad for a number of reasons. Yet a recent study shows that Hollywood shows filled with action and sound could be particularly dangerous for weight gain.

Researchers found that TV viewers typically ate more M&Ms, cookies, carrots and grapes while watching this kind of programming.

"More distracting TV content appears to increase food consumption: action and sound variation are bad for one's diet," the study authors noted, in a news release. "The more distracting a TV show, the less attention people appear to pay to eating, and the more they eat."

Though previous studies have blamed television for weight gains among Americans, no research specifically focused on the medium and not the message. Furthermore, little is known about whether content or pace of certain shows influences how much people at.

The authors examined how objective technical characteristics, such as the frequency of visual camera cuts or variations in sound, might influence how much food is eaten. Their study, which was highlighted in a research letter, included 94 undergraduate students (57 female; mean age nearly 20 years). They gathered in groups to watch 20 minutes of TV and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 different programs: an excerpt from "The Island," a Hollywood action movie starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson, the interview program "Charlie Rose," or the identical excerpt from "The Island" but with no sound. Viewers had M&Ms, cookies, carrots and grapes to snack on while watching. The snacks were weighed before and after the program to track how much viewers had eaten.

Viewers watching the more distracting program "The Island," with its high sound and cut variation, ate 98 percent more grams of food (206.5 vs. 104.3 g) and 65 percent more calories (354.1 vs. 214.6) than viewers who watched "Charlie Rose." Even viewers of the silent version of "The Island" ate 36 percent more grams of food (142.1 vs. 104.3g) and 46 percent more calories (314.5 vs. 214.6) than "Charlie Rose" viewers.

What effect might other shows also have?