Action Movies Can Be Intense And Fattening

On a diet? Then you may want to stick to romantic comedies and dramas when movie watching. A new study says action movies may make you eat more than a film that is even paced. And action packed TV shows are just as guilty.

TV has long been known to encourage mindless snacking, but what you watch can relate to how much you eat.

Researchers set up study participants with either a 20-min clip of The Island starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson or a Charlie Rose interview. They then supplied them with candy, cookies, carrot sticks and grapes for snacking.

After their viewings it was found that people watching the action movie ate twice as much as the people watching the interview. They consumed more calories than the interview watchers as well.

But there is a silver lining according to researchers.

Seems even though more calories were consumed by the action movie watchers, they weren't just reaching for the unhealthy snacks. Study co-author Brian Wansink, professor and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, says

Action-movie watchers also eat more healthy foods, if that’s what’s in front of them,”

So if your looking to eat healthy, maybe you should stock up on the fruits and vegetables then sit down for an action movie night.