ITHACA, N.Y., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A study of diners at Chinese restaurant buffets in the United States suggests people who are overweight tend to sit closer to the buffet table.
The study by Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab found obese diners sat 16 feet closer to the buffet, positioned themselves so that they faced the buffet tables used larger plates and ate with forks instead of chopsticks. They also served themselves immediately instead of browsing the buffet and tended to chew their food less, the university said Friday in a release.
"What's crazy is that these people are generally unaware of what they're doing -- they're unaware of sitting closer, facing the food, chewing less and so on," lead author Brian Wanink said.
The study, published in the journal Obesity, observed 213 diners at 11 Chinese buffets across the country.
