Visibility and convenience are the top factors that influence what people eat, according to a researcher at Cornell University. In a CNN article, Brian Wansink, head of Cornell’s Food and Brand Lab said that people think their free will can stop them from eating unhealthy foods, but in reality, the temptation of having unhealthy snacks nearby usually wins out. In one study, Wansink examined the effect of moving candy jars of chocolate just six feet further from workers’ cubicles in an office. When the candy was closer, the workers ate five more pieces of candy per day, which added up to 125 extra calories. Wansink says that people should make healthy snacks more available and convenient and try to keep junk food out of sight.
