Photo courtesy of Flickr user Candi Mandi
Go ahead , they’re low fat!
Haven’t you heard that before? Haven’t you thought that?
You’re not alone. Lots of people tend to let down their guard when they think something is low fat. It’s a tempting lure on food labels and on restaurant menus. A low-fat label can be a blinding spell that researchers have dubbed a “health halo,” and this devilish effect could be adding to your unwanted pounds.
The concept of a health halo has been around for several years now, and new studies continue to document the potential downfall. I first wrote about the health halo a few years ago for ABCNews.com. Researchers at Cornell University found that people who chose low-fat snacks ended up eating even more calories compared to their counterparts who selected regular snacks. The low-fat snackers consumed 90 more calories — presumably because they mistakenly thought low fat = low calories.
I interviewed co-author Brian Wansink at the time who described low-fat labels as “hidden persuaders” that can get you to overeat or to eat more than you intended.
Studies have repeatedly shown that putting a low-fat label on food causes people, especially those who are overweight, to underestimate its calories, to eat bigger helpings and to indulge in other foods. Researchers believe low-fat labels give people the mental permission to eat more. They may feel less guilty about their choice — which leads them to eat more. [click to continue…]
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