Eating while distracted: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of distraction on concurrent and later energy intake in adults
Abstract
Background Eating while distracted [e.g., television (TV) watching, phone use] is believed to increase food intake. A previous small meta-analysis of experimental studies (published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) supported this. Many studies have since been published, but there has been no updated analysis. Objectives This study aimed to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect of distraction on concurrent and later energy intake. Methods Eligible articles (searching up to December 2024) were identified from: a previously conducted meta-analysis which included studies up until 2012; database searches from 2012 to 2024 (PsycINFO, Medline, and PubMed); and both forward and backward citation searching. We followed PRISMA guidelines and conducted generic variance inverse meta-analyses with intake as the outcome variable for both concurrent and later energy intake. Results A total of 50 eligible studies were included (40 measuring concurrent intake, 10 measuring later intake). Random effects meta-analyses revealed that the overall effect of distraction on concurrent energy intake was nonsignificant [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.123, 95% confidence interval (CI): <–0.01, 0.25; P = 0.051]. Moderator analyses revealed that type of distractor moderated the effect of distraction on eating, with passive distractor tasks (e.g., TV watching) resulting in greater energy intake when distracted [SMD = 0.272 (95% CI: 0.128, 0.417)],…
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