Eating in the presence of one’s reflection helps to savor the food more.
They live alone, eat alone… In France, more than 5 million people suffer from loneliness. Older people are particularly affected by this phenomenon. Side effect of this life in isolation: food, which loses its attractiveness.
Japanese researchers may have found a way to make meals more appealing. When a mirror is placed near the table, seniors and young people enjoy more of what is on their plate. This is shown by the series of experiments published in Physiology & Behavior.
A wall or a mirror
This study is based on a known sociological phenomenon. In the presence of several individuals, people tend to enjoy their meal more and to eat more. This is called a social “facility”. Researchers at Nagoya University have attempted to reproduce this bias.
“Is it necessary for another person to be physically present, or is information suggesting the presence of others sufficient?” », Asks Ryuzaburo Nakata, co-author of the publication.
16 people aged 65 to 74 were recruited for the goods of this experience. This population was chosen as a priority because it is the most affected by loneliness. The seniors were all placed alone in a room, with several pots of popcorn at their disposal. In front of them, either a mirror or a screen showing the image of a wall.
Better quality of life
These volunteers tasted and wrote down the different types of popcorn, thinking they were participating in a taste test. In fact, these responses were used to assess the impact of the mirror on the palatability of foods. A mere reflection in the room is enough to enhance the flavor of the popcorn, the researchers found.
Compared to the image on the wall, those who have eaten with their doppelganger in the mirror appreciate the popcorn more. This was confirmed by a second series of experiments carried out on 12 elderly people.
However, “studies have shown that, for the elderly, enjoying food is associated with a better quality of life, and that eating alone is associated with more depression and loss of appetite,” recalls Noboyuki Kawai, co- author of the works.
Healthier meals
But the approach is just as effective with a younger audience. In the third part of the study, the Japanese recruited young adults who followed the same experiment. Here again, the popcorn is judged to be tastier… and the bowls are emptied more quickly.
The technique is simple but could be effective in bringing a little more flavor to the meal of seniors living alone. But it could also improve the quality of these. Other work has shown that in the presence of a mirror, the amount of fatty foods decreases in favor of those with a more balanced nutritional profile.
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