Study Finds Watching Others Eat Can Encourage Overeating in Mice

A recent study presented at ENDO 2025, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, has revealed that mice exposed to the sight of other mice consuming tasty foods tend to eat more themselves, even when they are not hungry. This groundbreaking research highlights the influence of visual social cues on eating behavior and its potential implications for human overeating and obesity.

In the study, researchers divided 14 mice into two groups: one group was fed or fasted overnight before testing, while the other was consistently fed. The mice were paired based on their genetics and parental background, then housed in nearby enclosures that allowed them to observe each other without direct contact. Over several test days, the team measured the amount of chow, high-fat, and sucrose diets consumed by the mice hourly for four hours.

Further experiments involved administering injections of saline or dopamine receptor inhibitors to assess the role of brain signaling pathways in this behavior. Interestingly, mice in the fed state that watched fasted peers eat did not increase their intake of regular or high-fat foods but did significantly consume more sucrose during the initial hour of observation. This overeating was suppressed when dopamine receptor activity was blocked, indicating that dopamine signaling plays a key role.

Lead researcher Yong Xu, Ph.D., explains that this animal model sheds light on how environmental and social cues influence eating habits. Such behaviors, driven by visual stimuli, are common today in social settings and media, potentially contributing to overeating and obesity. The findings suggest that understanding these mechanisms could lead to new treatment strategies targeting the brain's reward system to curb overeating.

The study also emphasizes the importance of mindfulness about food cues and social influences, which might help mitigate excessive food intake linked to societal stimuli. These insights could inform future public health initiatives aimed at reducing obesity by addressing environmental factors that promote overeating.

Source: MedicalXpress