Taking a Photo of Your Meal Helps You To Diet

Recent research has highlighted that those on a diet started to eat more healthy food after seeing a photo of what they were about to eat.
The photos focussed the dieters’ attention, prior to eating, on what they were about to eat.
Photographs appeared to be more effective than food diaries in helping dieters record what they ate.
In addition, slimmers were asked to take photographs of all they ate in order to see whether that may help them to alter their diet.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison asked 43 dieters to record a week’s dietary intake in photos and in written form.
When the dieters were questioned rigourously about their photo diaries, that was more effective at assisting them to alter their eating habits to healthier options, than food diaries.
The photos were highly effective as memory aids in relation to snacking binges.
Food diaries tend to be written a long time after the meal or snack has been eaten.
Photos also provide a perspective as to the size of the portion that is about to be eaten. Food diaries usually underestimate portions, especially takeaway portions.