Is it really that unhealthy to eat while watching television or on your smartphone?

Patricia Schutte, nutritionist†

It is good to take the time for your meal without distraction from the television, your mobile phone or tablet. Eating mindfully makes you feel better when you’ve eaten enough. The chance that you eat more than you actually need is smaller than when you do something else at the same time.

My advice is therefore: turn off the TV and put away mobile phones and tablets while eating. Set the laptop or newspaper aside. Too many distractions can really make you mindlessly overeat.

Tips to eat mindfully

• Eat slowly. Take small bites, chew well and taste every bite. This way you ensure that you feel full sooner. The brain needs 20 minutes to measure whether you are satiated or not, only then does the body receive the signal. But it also has to do with signals that you get because there is food in your mouth. Swallowing quickly is therefore not very useful, because then you will not get the signal of saturation as quickly.
• Eat at the table instead of on the couch or at your desk. People who eat at the table usually pay more attention to the meal.
• Make it attractive to sit at the table, whether you eat alone or with others. You do this by eating at a set and tidy table. A wonderful break from the computer and television.
• Take your time and enjoy your meal. Do you really taste what you eat? Let the taste sink in well and only take another bite when your mouth is empty. Tip: it is easier to eat more calmly if you put your cutlery down every now and then.

Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. Nor do they make diagnoses. The other conditions can be found here†