Be Polite, But Don’t Get Fat

Mind your manners. Be polite. From our youngest age we are reminded -- and with good reason -- since research has shown that expressing gratitude can make you a happier person. But you know what else they say: No good deed goes unpublished.  A new study reveals being polite can make you gain weight.

University of Washington researchers designed a series of experiments that triggered feelings of gratitude and other emotions in participants, and then studied what they ate. They found the participants were more likely to choose sweet foods when they were feeling thankful. Another way to put it might be that a warm fuzzy feeling triggers the sweet tooth!

Study leader Ann Schlosser explains, "Because gratitude involves acknowledging benefits received from the kind -- or metaphorically sweet -- actions of another, individuals may infer that they must be deserving of sweetness. As a result, they prefer foods with a congruent sweet taste."

However other feelings, like pride, that might make one feel deserving, did not drive people to consume sweets. The results also showed the effect was strongest among those who felt most connected to others. (Daily Mail)