Do Men’s Appetites Change When They Dine with Women?

Guys, relax. That’s one of the conclusions from a Cornell University study published in the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science, which examined the amount of food men consume when they’re dining with a woman. The researchers watched 105 adults having lunch at an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet, and found that men ate 93 percent more pizza in the company of a woman than they did when eating with other men. The men also ate 86 percent more salad. Their conclusion? Whether they're aware of it or not, men attempt to impress women by showing off the amount they can eat.

Food for thought:

• Citing society’s fascination with men in competitive eating contests, the researchers commented that “male eating patterns warrant closer attention through the lens of sexual selection theory.”
• Interestingly, women’s eating habits remained the same regardless of whether they dined with a male or female companion. Women did say that they felt “rushed” when dining with men, and felt like they had over-eaten, but the researchers couldn’t quantify that.
• In a related study, researchers at South Korea’s Semyung University found that men take bigger bites and employ more “chewing power” than women. Women, they said, chew each mouthful more times than men.