Does Watching Leno Cause Obesity?

tidbits that tantalizeThat's Great! - Pass The Chips...

In your quest for late night entertainment, do you prefer the guy with the funny teeth, or the guy with the funny chin?

Well, regardless of whether you're a Letterman or a Leno fan, a trip to the bathroom scale may be in order. Researchers at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation report that engaging television may add pounds. Boring television, on the other hand, will simply put you to sleep.

The research tested the impact on the consumption of snacks while watching television. The study participants were given five minutes, a bag of potato chips, and then shown monologues from either David Letterman or Jay Leno. The process was repeated several times over a three-week period.

The results? It was Letterman by a chip.

Actually, the researchers found that participants watching either comedian ate over 40% more chips than when they did not watch television. Letterman did edge out Leno, 44% to 42%, in the late night chip-off. Seinfeld reruns were disqualified from the study, after it was discovered Newman had eaten the three-week chip supply in a single setting. "Way to go, Newman..."

The scientists explain that concentrating on the way food tastes sends signals to the brain about fullness. When distracted, the signals are simply ignored, and the snacking continues unabated.

So, now you know: "Caution: Great television shows may be hazardous to your waist."

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. Or, learn more about the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.

Photo is courtesy of Emiliano Spada.