FULL STOMACH = WISER CHOICES

A study by the University of Dundee has demonstrated why it’s not a good idea to make a major decision on an empty stomach. The researchers found that hunger significantly alters people’s decision-making, leaving them impatient and more likely to settle for a small reward that arrives sooner than a larger one promised at a later date. “People generally know that when they are hungry they shouldn’t really go food shopping because they are more likely to make choices that are either unhealthy or indulgent,” says lead researcher Dr Benjamin Vincent. “Our research suggests this could have an impact on other kinds of decisions as well. Say you were going to speak with a mortgage adviser – doing so while hungry might make you care a bit more about immediate gratification at the expense of a potentially more rosy future.”