Photographing everything you eat, before you eat it, may help you lose weight

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Wednesday, September 03, 2008 12:07 pm Email this article
Taking pictures of everything you eat, before you eat it, may help you lose weight and appear to be more effective than a written food diary according to a study from Lydia Zepeda, professor of Consumer Science, and David Deal at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Snacking Binges

Photos reminded people of snaking binges

“The photographs also acted as a powerful reminder of any snacking binges,” according to an article on The Telegraph.

 

Written Food Diaries

Written food diaries filled in hours later, left less of an impression

“[W]ritten food diaries were often filled in hours after the meal and were not as powerful in creating an impression of how much food had been consumed,” the article on The Telegraph also notes.

 

Portion Sizes

Photos could also identify large portion sizes

The article on The Telegraph also notes that a dietician said that photographs could help dieticians identify portion sizes that are too large, and notes that people tend to underestimate how much they eat.

 

Photographic Food Diaries

Photographic food diaries change attitudes and behaviors

“Qualitative analysis of participant interviews revealed that photographic food diaries can alter attitudes and behaviours associated with food choices, and they are more likely to do so than written diaries because they serve as an intervention at the point when decisions regarding what to eat are being made,” the abstract notes.

 

Subjects

Subjects: 43 people

The study involved 43 people.

REFERENCE

Zepeda L, Deal D. Think before you eat: Photographic food diaries as intervention tools to change dietary decision making and attitudes. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 27 Aug 2008, Published Online ; http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121389729/abstract.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Lydia Zepeda, Professor
Department of Consumer Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1300 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706 USA
1-608-262-9487 phone
1-608-265-6048 fax
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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