Internal and External Cues: French and American Explanations for Mindless Eating

Abstract

Objective It is examined why the French, as compared to Americans, eat foods that have relatively higher fat content, yet have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and have lower body mass indices (also known as the French Paradox). Previous research suggests internal and external cues of eating behavior are thought to be indicative of French and American cultures respectively. Research Methods and Procedures A sample of 150 French and 152 American college age students were given a questionnaire that measured the influence of external and internal cues of meal cessation. All questions were rated on a nine-point scale with 1 indicating strong disagreement and 9 indicating strong agreement. Results In all cases, Americans were influenced more by external cues than internal cues. Specifically, more so than the French, Americans reported that they usually stopped eating when they thought others thought was normal, when everyone was finished, when they ran out of a beverage, when it was getting late, when their TV show was over, and when they were through with what they were reading. Conclusions External cues of meal cessation (i.e., finished eating when TV show is over or done reading) may lead to “mindless eating.” It seems that Americans may be particularly vulnerable to “mindless eating,” which could lead to obesity. Environments should be examined for their propensity to contribute to “mindless eating.” The French may be a model for “mindful eating,” which may lead to a more healthful relationship with food. Research supported by Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab