Children may risk becoming overweight if they eat often in a busy environment, such as fast-food restaurants or birthday parties, where they are with a lot of friends.
Young people who ate snacks among a group of nine friends ate up to 30 per cent more than those in groups of three, according to researchers.
The authors, from the University of Michigan, say that the findings have implications for families wishing to control a child’s weight. They said: “For the child who overeats, overconsumption may be driven by having meals in busy or chaotic environments, as is often the case when eating out, particularly at fast-food restaurants.”
They added that the findings also support recommendations for mealtimes at home with the family in a calm…