Working Hard for Food

An interesting study was done in mice that indicated the harder the mice worked for food the more they enjoyed it. Using levers, the mice pressed the lever on time to get a tasty treat and 15 times to get a low calorie treat. The mice preferred the food that they had to work harder to get, even when the food was low calorie. These results even held true after time passed - the mice were again given a choice and they picked the food they worked harder to get. The researchers are hopeful that this will lead to some interesting studies in obese people - if you have to work harder for food will you value it more?

This research was interesting to me in terms of children who are picky eaters or overweight. Does proprioceptive work prior to eating influence a child's food preferences and choices? If a child is avoiding certain foods, if they have to exert more effort to get the food would they choose it? If I must exercise before I eat, will I make healthier food choices? Almost seems like reverse psychology...

Reference: Physorg.com Hard Work Improves the Taste of Food Study Shows. Retrieved from the web on 11/27/2010 at http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-11-hard-food.html