Is ‘fog eating’ making you gain weight?
Fog eating – consuming more food than you need, often without being genuinely hungry – can happen almost without you realising. Here’s how to take back control.
If sitting down to stream a series with your favourite snack or meal is your idea of a good night in, you’re in good company.
While at least one in two Australians routinely eats dinner in front of a screen, a study from The University of Queensland has linked binge-watching TV to being more likely to snack.
But how often have you done that only to find that before you know it, the food’s gone – and, if you’re honest, you don’t even feel that full?
Meet “fog eating”.
Also known as mindless eating, research not only confirms it’s real, it offers up a few reasons why it happens.
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The link between distraction and fog eating
A Dutch study shows eating while distracted makes the brain less effective at processing taste.
And when a food’s less flavourful, we eat more of it.
Then there’s a UK study, which suggests distracted eating has another impact, too.
“Our study suggests that if you’re eating or drinking while your attention is distracted by a highly engaging task, you’re less likely to be able to tell how full you feel,” University of Sussex study author Professor Martin Yeomans said when the research was released.
“This is important for anyone wanting to stay a healthy weight – if you’re a habitual TV-watching snacker, you’re not likely to notice when you feel full.”
He also identified other mentally demanding tasks, like gaming and even doing a crossword as being “risky” eating situations.
“You’re more likely to keep snacking than if you’d been eating while doing something less engaging,” he wrote.
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Eating more isn’t the only problem
Dietitian Nicole Dynan says the types of foods we tend to eat in these situations can be less than healthy, too.
“It’s not usually endless carrot sticks that we’re reaching for in front of Netflix,” Nicole says.
“And if we’re fog eating chocolate or chips regularly, that can take a toll on our health and our waistline.
“Plus, if this type of eating does fill us up, we miss out on the opportunity to eat those healthy, fibre-rich foods that nourish the good bacteria that live in the gut, later on,” Nicole says.
She adds that fog eating can also happen in response to boredom.
“That’s what I call ‘head hunger’, where we’re eating to distract ourselves from something or in response to something, instead of eating because we’re genuinely hungry,” she says.
3 expert tips to stop fog eating
If you start paying attention to your eating habits and notice you fog eat regularly, the following tips are good food for thought:
Consider whether you’re genuinely hungry
“The first thing I advise people to do if they’re not sure where that reach-for-food signal is coming from is to physically put their hand on their stomach to draw attention to that part of the body,” Nicole says.
“Then, consider whether you’re really hungry or whether you’re eating out of habit or because of something like boredom, by asking ‘when did I last eat?’ and ‘does it make sense to be hungry now?’.
“And, because thirst can be mistaken for hunger, if you’re still unsure, have a glass of water and wait for 20 minutes.”
Set yourself up for success
You may think the solution is simply making situations that encourage distracted eating no-food zones.
But some research suggests that can be counterproductive if it makes you feel deprived.
“Instead, rather than sitting down with a full bag of chips, serve yourself a single portion,” Nicole suggests.
“And try to choose the healthiest option possible – so instead of triple-butter flavoured popcorn, choose the plain, air-popped variety instead.”
Eat more mindfully
In an ideal world, this means committing to eating completely free of distractions, but where that’s not possible – or preferable – there are other things you can do.
“Always make an effort to appreciate the smell, taste and texture of your food, which can enhance the enjoyment, so that you need less to feel satisfied,” Nicole says.
“And consciously chew each mouthful more, because that chewing action helps the body to produce less ghrelin, our hunger hormone.”
Tune into The House of Wellness TV show for more on fog eating:
Written by Karen Fittall.
