Lighting may change the way we eat: Cornell study

The role of lighting in energy expenditure is a common topic lately, but researchers have found it may play another different, but significant, role in energy intake.

The researchers, led by Brian Wansink, Professor of Marketing and Director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, found that soft lighting and mellow music impacted diners’ calorie intake and satisfaction with their meal.

“When we did a makeover of a fast-food restaurant, we found that softer music and lighting led diners to eat 175 fewer calories and enjoy it more,” Wansink said.

While the change in ambience didn’t change what people ordered, it did cause them to eat 18% less of what they ordered: 775 calories instead of 949. And they enjoyed their food more, with diners rating their food as more enjoyable.

The study, which was co-authored by Koert van Ittersum from the Georgia Institute of Technology, is published in the journal Psychological Reports.

The researchers say their study refutes a commonly held belief that people who eat in a more relaxed environment will order more food and eat more than those in other dining environments.

“These results suggest that a more relaxed environment increases satisfaction and decreases consumption,” Wansink said.

“This is important information for fast-food restaurants, which are often accused of contributing to obesity. Making simple changes away from brighter lights and sound-reflecting surfaces can go a long way toward reducing overeating - and increase their customers’ satisfaction at the same time.”