A new study has provided scientific proof as to why men tend to overeat when dining with women.
According to the researchers who conducted the study, males tend to eat more than what they usually consume in order to impress their female dates, Health Day reported.
The new study was conducted by researchers from Cornell University. They were able to come up with their findings after secretly observing about 105 male and female customers dining at an Italian buffet.
Over the course of two weeks, the researchers monitored the eating habits and dining companions of the clueless participants. Based on their observations, they concluded than men really do eat more when in the company of women.
In fact, according to the researchers, the male customers who dined with at least one female companion snacked on 93 percent more slices of pizza than those who shared a table with other men. Also, those with female dates binged on 86 percent more salad than men who were with their guy friends.
The amount the women ate, on the other hand, remained the same and was not affected by the presence of their male or female companions. However, based on the survey conducted by the researchers on the women, they noted that they felt rushed and though they overate when they were dining with men, according to Business Standard.
The researchers noted that binge eating may be generally regarded as an unfavorable trait especially during a date. Despite this notion, the study has shown that men, whether intentionally or not, will tend to overeat particularly when they are with a woman.
Although this behavior can probably be explained through men's desire to show off their dominance, the researchers said it may also have something to do with how physically fit they are. They theorized that by engaging in risky behavior such as overeating, men are able to show that they are tough and that their bodies can handle the extra calories because of their fitness.
The researchers said that this can also be seen in eating competitions.
"Men tend to overeat to show off - you can also see this tendency in eating competitions, which almost always have mostly male participants, Kevin Kniffin, the lead author of the study said in a press release.
Due to the results of the study, the researchers advised people, particularly mean, to stay calm especially when dining with women to avoid overeating. After all, although this display of masculinity might work for some, it could lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes.
The study conducted by the researchers was published on November 10 in the journal Evolutionary Psychology Science.
