Mmm … no, thanks. Picture a wedge of velvety chocolate fudge cake. Hungry? Unlikely as it sounds, showing weight-conscious women pictures of sweet treats may actually strengthen their resolve to eat healthily, rather than encouraging them to cheat. Psychologist Floor Kroese of Utrecht University in the Netherlands tested his theory that temptation might heighten self-control by showing 54 female students a picture of either a slice of chocolate cake or a flower, under the guise of a memory test. They then questioned the students about any plans to eat more healthily and offered them a choice between a chocolate or oatmeal cookie. Women shown the cake picture gave a higher priority to their healthy eating intentions than did their counterparts shown the flower. They were also significantly more likely to pick the oatmeal cookie, which earlier tests showed was generally perceived as the healthier option. Kroese suggests that sticking pictures of tempting foods on the fridge door may help bring weight-watching goals to mind. But he says that the results can be applied only to women wanting to lose weight, as it is unclear whether they would hold for the general population. Laura McGuinness, New Scientist magazine
