What Makes Fat People to be Less Active?

People who are obese tend to deter from walking long distances and climbing on steep hills by overestimating them. They also suffer a “vicious circle” of perception and behavior.

A study led by Dr. Jessica Witt, Colorado State University examined sixty-six people from Walmart by asking them to judge how far away a traffic cone on the road was. The cone was 25m away, but researchers found that individuals who were nine stone judged the cone to be 15m away while those who were 23 stone thought it was almost double that, at 30m.

Brain Function Differs in Obese Children: Vanderbilt Study
Exercise, diet may not be enough to restore normal weight or prevent overweight kids from becoming obese, it may be necessary to change their brain function.

‘Altered perception can make exercise 'daunting' for the overweight.’

Witt said that obese people see distances at least 10% further than those with an average weight, and people of all heights and weights “grossly overestimate” how steep hills are.

“You’re not seeing the world as it is. You’re seeing the world in terms of your ability to act,” she added.

Participants were also asked to estimate distances and inclines, play virtual tennis, put a golf ball, and practice baseball. The performances were also analyzed using illusions.

Human Perception Influenced by Prior Knowledge and Expectations Called Top-Down Control
This cognitive process supports the theory that the brain does not represent the environment but rather attempts to predict it based upon prior knowledge.

They found that participants who put a golf ball performed worse when illusion made the hole look smaller and better when the hole was larger.

“We think that these perceptual biases can create a vicious circle for people with obesity. It is conscious perception of the world. But it’s not based on conscious perception of the body or feelings of laziness,” Witt said.

Ability to Vividly Imagine Different Odors is Greater in Obese Adults
The ability to vividly imagine the smell of popcorn, freshly baked cookies and even non-food odors is greater in obese adults, revealed a new study.

Source-Medindia

Here's How Television Influences Women's Perception of Pregnancy And Birth
A new research implied that many women underestimated the extent to which their expectations of pregnancy and birth were shaped by popular media.