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The all-day empty calorie feast that happens each year around the Super Bowl can be a challenge for anyone concerned about his or her waist, hips and thighs. That’s especially true if you are a “people-pleaser,” says a new Case Western Reserve University study.
The research showed that hungry or not, some people eat in an attempt to keep others comfortable.
“They don’t want to rock the boat or upset the sense of social harmony,” says Julie Exline, a Case Western Reserve psychologist and lead author of the study, published today in the journal Social and Clinical Psychology.
That could be a big problem in a social setting such as a Super Bowl party. Turning down snacks when others are indulging is tough for everyone, but it poses a special problem for people-pleasers, Exline said.
“If people-pleasers feel a sense of social pressure to eat, they will often eat more in an attempt to match what others around them are eating.” But this often comes at an emotional price.
"Those who overeat in order to please others tend to regret their choices later. It doesn't feel good to give in to social pressures," Exline says.
The Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association forecast Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks on the big game day, including 11.2 million pounds of potato chips, 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips, 4.3 million pounds of pretzels, 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 pounds of nuts.
If you do the math, the average armchair quarterback will consume 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacking alone.
The Council's research shows snacking on potato chips, the most popular nosh, will account for 27 billion calories and 1.8 billion grams of fat. To put that in context, 1.8 billion grams of fat is equal to the weight of 13,000 NFL offensive linemen at 300 pounds each.
Exline’s study looked at the eating habits as a way of determining how the same behaviors that affect food consumption can surface in other areas of the individual’s life.
People-pleasers feel more intense pressure to eat when they believe that their eating will help another person feel more comfortable,” Exline said. “Almost everyone has been in a situation in which they’ve felt this pressure, but people-pleasers seem especially sensitive to it.”
Beth Hubrich, a registered dietitian with the Council recommends pre-planning your Super Bowl event and menu to include no-fat and low-fat chips and dips. She says choosing fat-free potato chips for the big game could save up to 300 calories per person.
When it comes to dips, it is possible to cut the fat without losing the flavor.
- Try salsa, which is fat-free or substitute reduced-fat sour cream and non-fat yogurt.
- Use fresh herbs and spices such as cilantro, parsley and hot peppers to add great flavor.
- Add fresh vegetables and low-fat dips to your party tray for a healthy appetizer.
- Serve lean turkey chili for a low fat alternative to traditional beef chili or forego the meat altogether. Top it with greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Also, try getting a little extra physical activity to burn off super bowl snacks by tossing the football at halftime or walking to a neighbors house to get a play by play or plan a pre-game workout, Hubrich says.
The Calorie Control Council has a list of healthy Super Bowl party-worthy spreads and dip recipes online at http://www.caloriecontrol.org/recipes-for-a-healthy-lifestyle
Lynette Summerill, an award-winning writer and scuba enthusiast lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in newspapers and magazines around the world.
Sources:
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. People-Pleasing through Eating: Sociotropy Presents Greater Eating in Response to Perceived Social Pressure. AL Zell, M Hamilton, A Swenson, E Bratslavsky. JJ Exline Published and accessed 1 February 2012
Calorie Control Council release. Score big on game day. Beth Hubrich. 24 January 2012. Accessed online 1 February 2012 at: http://www.caloriecontrol.org/pressrelease/score-healthy-super-bowl-recipes-to-sideline-unhealthy-snacking-on-game-day
The Daily. Hold the Extra Burgers and Fries when People-pleasers Arrive; Case Western Reserve release. Susan Griffith. Published and accessed online 1 Feburary 2012 at: http://cwru-daily.com/news/?p=5168
Reviewed February 1, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith
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