Eating Blindfolded is Catching On

People who eat more slowly tend to be thinner. We've heard that one for a long time and now there's some proof it works.

Of 3,300 Japanese adult participants in one study, those who ate fast were nearly twice as likely to be overweight, and those who ate until they felt full -- bad idea -- had twice the risk of being overweight.

There are lots of suggestions for putting the brakes on fast eating -- eat with chopsticks, put down your fork after every bite, get hypnotized, tell yourself to slow down, simply stop eating so fast. But as one of those fast eaters, I don't think I'd like to make a habit of this new European food craze -- eating dinner with a blindfold on.

Supposedly blocking vision wakes up those taste buds, results in smaller bites and a savory, slower meal. I can understand the smaller bites, it has to be harder to quickly stuff your face when you can't see that fork or spoon. Cutting your food and simply figuring out what pile is what on the plate takes time, too. Studies show blindfolded eaters listen to their satiety cues better and stop eating before they're full, and a 2003 Swedish study revealed blindfolded eaters ate 24 percent less food than visual eaters without feeling less full. As annoying (or humorous) as this will be to my family, I'll blindfold myself for dinner once this week and let you know how it goes. Would you try a blindfold diet?

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