Why a big lunch can stop you becoming a leader

STOCKBROKER Gordon Gekko may have been more accurate than he knew when he declared in the film Wall Street that lunch was for wimps.

For scientists have discovered that a large meal really does hold you back.

They believe their findings in a study of fish could be relevant to human behaviour.

Biologists at Glasgow University found that fish which ate the most food subsequently fell behind – even if they had previously led the group.

Drawing a comparison to humans, research biologist Dr Shaun Killen, who led the study, said: ‘Imagine you were to go for a run with a group of friends. If you had just eaten a large lunch but they hadn’t eaten in a few hours, you would find it more difficult to keep pace with them.

‘We see the same effect in groups of fish, but in this case it may have serious effects on how animal social groups function in the natural environment.’

If fish are not at the front of a group, they are less able to influence the direction it goes in, and have less control over the group’s behaviour, researchers say.

The team looked at 180 minnows collected from the River Kelvin, in Glasgow. Those who consumed a large meal had to move to the back of their social group because energy was being taken up digesting it.

Even dominant members of the group cannot maintain their leading position after a large meal.

Dr Killen added: ‘Our study shows that, after feeding, individuals who might otherwise perform the role of leader will be forced to move towards the back of a moving group.

‘That change of position means that, temporarily at least, these individuals will be less able to have any influence on group behaviour.’

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the European Research Council.

‘Move towards the back’