Does noise make us fat?

Eating in silence not only makes us healthier, it also helps us maintain our figures, say Swedish scientists. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet examined around 500 men and women from across Sweden. Among the results: The hips of those exposed to street noise (5 decibels above the norm of 45 decibels) each day during meals were 0.2 cm wider than the hips of those who ate in peace. The obesity risk doubled when planes and trains could also be heard. Noise causes stress, which compels the body to create fat reserves.