Posting food pictures on Instagram can make you gain weight: Study

As per a new study, people who share images of their food on Instagram, wanting to share their experience with others are more likely to crave for more, affecting their waistline and leading to weight gain. The survey suggests that almost 70 per cent of millennials regularly share images of food before eating.

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A study conducted by the researchers at Georgia Southern Univerity in the US showed that diners who clicked the photo of their meals and uploaded it on social media took time to feel fuller. It made them more likely to have a second serving.

Older studies show that sharing food images on social media made the food taste better as taking pictures made the brain concentrate more on the smell and the taste of the food.

As per the new study, published in the journal Appetite, the team recruited 145 students and divided them into two groups. Both the groups were given a plate of cheese crackers to nibble but half were told to stop and take a picture first. Immediately after consuming the food, volunteers were asked to rate how much they liked the food and if they want more.

It was found that people who took snaps scored higher in terms of enjoyment and wanting a second serving. As per the research, picture-taking seemed to change the way the brain perceives food and increased cravings.

The researchers said, "Memories of food and the act of recording consumption can affect how much we eat. Our results indicate picture-taking leads to greater wanting of the food following consumption.”

The effects were more noticeable in volunteers given smaller portions, six crackers instead of 12.

People eating smaller portions, especially of tasty food as they want to cut back on their calories should avoid taking pictures of what they are eating, suggest researchers.