Whether it’s sipping hot lemon water with cayenne pepper (save your time with that one), or chowing down on a ripe grapefruit in the AM, folks go to great lengths to curb their appetite. Well, this one certainly is the most surprising we’ve heard in a long time: allegedly, playing video games can make you less hungry.
According to The Atlantic, a study published in Appetite and conducted by researchers at Plymouth University, revealed the pull-your-hair-out-paced block game Tetris was evaluated as a tool to lessen cravings (which apparently rely on visual triggers).
The study tapped 119 people, and delved into their natural cravings (they weren’t provided with edible stimuli) by asking them to rate their hunger level they were currently having from 1 to 100. They were also provided with a questionnaire, which evaluated the strength, vividness, imagery, and more. They were then given the chance to play Tetris or stare at a screen that was loading the game and then asked about the cravings once more. Some of the things people were vying for? Nicotine, coffee, and food of some kind. Well, surprise, surprise! While playing the game, the craving dipped down to 24%. (We’re guessing because they were temporarily distracted!) Might it be time to bring the cult-classic game back on the regular? We’ll pass — and find something more useful to do. Like, you know, eat. (The Atlantic)