Green | January 02, 2009 | 12 comments

Too much thinking 'can make you fat'?

source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4043727/Too-much-thinking-can-make-y...

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Jeffnfun631
"Researchers found the stress of thinking caused overeating with heavy thinkers seeking out more calories.

The research team, supervised by Dr Angelo Tremblay, measured the spontaneous food intake of 14 students after each of three tasks. The first was relaxing in a sitting position, the second reading and summarizing a text, and finally completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer.

After 45 minutes at each activity, participants were invited to eat as much as they wanted from a buffet.

The researchers had already discovered that each session of intellectual work requires only three calories more than the rest period.

However, despite the low energy cost of mental work, the students spontaneously consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text and 253 more calories after the computer tests. This represents a 23.6 per cent and 29.4 per cent increase, respectively, compared with the rest period.

Blood samples taken before, during, and after each session revealed that intellectual work causes much bigger fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels than rest periods.

Jean-Philippe Chaput, the study's main author, said: "These fluctuations may be caused by the stress of intellectual work, or also reflect a biological adaptation during glucose combustion."
The body could be reacting to these fluctuations by spurring food intake in order to restore its glucose balance, the only fuel used by the brain."
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12 comments // Too much thinking 'can make you fat'?

  • infinitron
    • 0
      infinitron  

    • Stress def causes ppl to over eat. Stress is a known factor which adds to a persons being overweight. And I know I'm not the only one who gets stressed out after long days at school, or f---d up tests like finals or whatever. But the study didnt say that ppl gained weight. It just said it caused them to eat more. Even group that small can show that. I would love to see it replicated on a very large scale though. Then we'd have some data to interpret. Wow, that was a lot of words. I'm going to have to eat something. Hey wait, Does booze have calories in it?

    • 3 years ago
  • hotheado
  • numinant
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  

    • Way too small a sample. All studies, regardless of size, should instantly be held to scrutiny.

      Studies of insanely small size should be completely disregarded when it comes to world news. I ran the same type of study this morning at work. I found that people offered as much food as they like from a buffet are more likely to eat it then people who i did not invite to take part. This proves that people I talk to are fat.

      What?

    • 3 years ago
  • naty_forty
  • naty_forty
  • crob80227
    • 0
      crob80227  

    • As I was pondering whether or not I believe this study my blood sugar dropped precipitously and I felt weak with hunger!

      Must...eat...candy...bar....

      Whew!

      I'm okay now.

    • 3 years ago
  • Nozlo
  • bansheewail
    • 0
      bansheewail  

    • So, let me get this straight, Current makes me think, therefore Current makes my spare-tire a tractor tire. I should be topping 500lbs by Summer.
      Sweet.

    • 3 years ago
  • Mr_Costello
  • pjacobs51
  • phillyharper
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