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The Margin: Are you a ‘zombie eater’? It could be bad for your health

Distracted diners who stare at screens tend to eat more calories and choose fattier foods. Read More...

Put your phone away during meals — or risk packing on the pounds.

Most of us are eating with our eyes glued to a TV, smartphone or tablet, and paying little attention to what we’re putting in our mouths, according to a new OnePoll survey of 2,000 American adults.

The poll commissioned by the Campbell’s CSC, -0.97%  snack company Pretzel Crisps found that 88% of people are “zombie eaters” who stare at some type of screen while noshing, with television being the most common digital distraction cited by 91% of respondents. Half of the subjects admitted that watching TV while eating was a regular habit — and that they got so sucked into looking for something to watch on Netflix NFLX, +2.68%, Hulu or traditional TV channels that 83% of people said their food has even gone cold.

But the No. 1 reason people said that they couldn’t tear themselves away from their smartphones at the table was because 50% of them were reading or sending emails, with more than one in three (36%) saying they were focused on work-related activities while it was time to eat. And these compulsive screen habits overlap; 48% of users also said they were checking social media sites like Facebook FB, -1.93% and Twitter TWTR, -1.58%  while they were supposed to be supping, and 37% were watching YouTube videos.

In fact, Americans are spending more than 11 hours per day on screens, according to Nielsen data, which is up from nine hours, 32 minutes just four years ago.

Related: People spend most of their waking hours staring at screens

And screen addiction is even changing where people eat. During the work week, more than one in five (22%) people in the OnePoll survey said that they usually eat lunch right in front of their computers. At home, the average person was only eating three meals a week at their kitchen/dining room table. Instead, some 79% have eaten on the couch; 64% wolfed something down while standing at the kitchen counter; 61% ate in bed; and 48% actually ate while sitting on the floor.

So why is this all so worrisome for your waistline? Research has shown that distracted diners often consume more calories or overeat compared to those who are more present with what’s on their plates. People who scrolled through their phones while they ate scarfed down 15% more calories than when they noshed with no distractions, according to a recent study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior. Those using their mobiles at mealtimes also chose more fatty foods than those who just focused on their food.

And when British researchers reviewed 24 studies that monitored people’s attention and awareness of eating food, they found that distracted dining not only spurred a 10% increase in caloric intake during the meal, but it also led to consuming as much as 25% more calories when eating later on.

In fact, eating while scrolling, swiping and tapping even lessens the enjoyment of the dining experience. Two researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada studied 300 people who went out to dinner with friends or family, and asked them about their phone usage and overall dining experience. (They also convinced half of the subjects to keep their phones on the table by telling them they’d receive a study-related text during the meal.) Those who had their phones on the table used them for 11% of the meal. And all of those who took out their phones and used them while dining reported feeling more distracted, which reduced how much they enjoyed spending this time with their loved ones.

That’s why weight loss specialists recommend mindful eating, which includes focusing on your food by serving yourself smaller portions; savoring the food by taking smaller bites and being attentive to how it tastes, smells and feels; chewing it thoroughly; and stopping when you start feeling full — not after you’re already stuffed. Mindful eating also includes taking a moment to express gratitude for having this food, and/or sharing it with the friends and family sitting with you. “If you slow down and stop just mindless eating, you often realize you don’t need to eat as much as you thought you did; you’re already full,” Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, an American Heart Association volunteer medical expert, previously told MarketWatch. (Read this story for more no B.S. tips to losing weight.)

Those looking to cut their screen time can also check out these apps designed to help users unplug.

And platforms like YouTube and Facebook, as well as cellphone makers like Apple AAPL, -0.79% and Google GOOG, -0.50%, have also added features to track and limit screen time. Check them out here.

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