Etymologically, experts suggest that the word "companion" comes from the Latin terms comedere and panis , and therefore refers to "those who eat or share the same bread." Now a study by Mcmaster University (USA) reveals that our table companions at lunch or dinner condition us when choosing what we eat . Specifically, according to Meredith Young, a co-author of the research, women tend to ask for low-calorie foods when they eat in a group with one or more men present. This is because, in general, the choices when it comes to eating are conditioned by the perception that others have of us. And smaller and healthier servings are considered more feminine, so women "feel more attractive if they eat fewer calories in the presence of men," says the researcher in Appetite magazine.
As for men, the study concludes that the choice of dish is not affected neither by the number of companions nor by their gender.
