So many unconscious choices affect our food choices. Everything from its aroma to its texture or packaging. But what about the sounds that surround you, like music? There’s a reason that restaurants play relaxing music to create a more pleasant ambiance for dining. They want to engage all your senses, so you’ll want to return. Let’s look at the role music plays in our food selections and how much we eat. Can playing the right music help you eat less or make smarter food choices?
The Tempo of Taste
Did you know the tempo of music playing in the background while you eat can cause you to eat faster or slower? If you’re eating a meal with a fast tempo, you’re more likely to pick up the pace and eat faster. In contrast, slower tempo tunes will slow down your eating speed. This happens without your awareness, yet it has a name. This phenomenon is called “rhythm synchronization.” From a scientific perspective, it’s how your body coordinates its rhythms with another system, in this case, the tempo of music.
But there’s more. Research shows music can be a distractor too. If you focus consciously on music when you eat, you’re less likely to pay attention to your satiety signals. This means you’re likely to eat more without being aware of it. So, the next time you reach for a second helping at a live music venue, you might want to blame the band!
Mood, Music, and Mealtime
It’s no secret that music can affect your mood and your emotions at a deeper level. Fast tempo music might make you feel more upbeat and energetic, whereas a dirge would have the opposite effect. It would lower your mood and make you feel pensive.
Studies clearly show that music arouses emotions. One way that tunes elicit feelings and emotions is by activating your autonomic nervous system. Music with a fast tempo or loud music ramps up your sympathetic nervous system, the branch that causes your heart rate to increase and your blood pressure rise – signs of stress.
In contrast, slow-tempo, soft, or relaxing music activates the opposing branch of your autonomic nervous system – the parasympathetic division. This is the “rest and relaxation” division that slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, and makes you feel calmer.
Creating the Right Musical Atmosphere for Healthy Eating
How does this affect your eating habits? Research published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science found that people tend to make healthier food choices in quieter environments. The opposite is true in noisier environments. Noise and confusion can motivate us to make less healthy and more indulgent choices. This may be because noisy environments create stress, and we tend to choose more comfort foods when we’re stressed out. Have you ever eaten a pint of ice cream when you were worried about something? That’s the stress factor playing out.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that slow-tempo or low-volume music relaxes our minds and bodies, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and creates an atmosphere where we make healthier food choices. It creates an environment where it’s easier to choose healthier options.
Using Music Strategically to Influence Food Purchases
In one study, researchers played two different soundtracks while participants made their food choices. They found that when the subjects listened to slow-tempo jazz music, they made healthier food selections, adding more fruits and vegetables to their plate. But when they listened to a dissonant guitar melody with a fast tempo, they made less healthy choices, including pizza and doughnuts.
This suggests that we can encourage healthier eating by changing the musical soundscape that plays in the background. It goes along with other data suggesting a slower tempo encourages healthier eating than tunes with a fast tempo. Plus, a slower tempo may create a dining atmosphere that encourages mindfulness. So, you might want to create a playlist of slow-tempo tunes if you listen to music while you eat.
Music and Grocery Shopping
The music you hear in the background can affect the decisions you make at the supermarket. In a study conducted in Sweden and published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, shoppers tossed more fruits and vegetables into their grocery carts when they listened to quieter music (55 decibels). But when they shopped while louder music (70 decibels) was playing, they chose more ultra-processed foods and red meat. So, the loudness of music may influence your dietary choices too.
The Symphony of Music and Nutrition
Based on the studies so far, music, the tempo, type, and how loud it is, can affect the foods we choose to cook and what we select at the grocery store. It can also impact how fast or slow we eat it. The effect is subtle and takes place at an unconscious level, but it can still impact your food selections and how much you eat. It’s an area that needs more research. But in the meantime, the next time you sit down for a meal, take a moment to appreciate the symphony of flavors on your plate – and the tunes that may have influenced your choices. And when you select background music – choose wisely!
References:
- Cui T, Xi J, Tang C, Song J, He J, Brytek-Matera A. The Relationship between Music and Food Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 27;13(8):2571. doi: 10.3390/nu13082571. PMID: 34444733; PMCID: PMC8400481.
- The unexpected link between music and food consumption | MDLinx. MDLinx. Published 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.mdlinx.com/article/the-unexpected-link-between-music-and-food-consumption/lfc-3568
- Biswas D, Lund K, Szocs C. Sounds like a healthy retail atmospheric strategy: Effects of ambient music and background noise on food sales. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 2018;47(1):37-55. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0583-8
- Danni Peng-Li, Mathiesen SL, Raymond C.K. Chan, Byrne DV, Qian Janice Wang. Sounds Healthy: Modelling sound-evoked consumer food choice through visual attention. Appetite. 2021;164:105264-105264. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105264.
- The unexpected link between music and food consumption | MDLinx. MDLinx. Published 2023. Accessed September 11, 2024. https://www.mdlinx.com/article/the-unexpected-link-between-music-and-food-consumption/lfc-3568.
- McCrary JM, Altenmüller E. Mechanisms of Music Impact: Autonomic Tone and the Physical Activity Roadmap to Advancing Understanding and Evidence-Based Policy. Front Psychol. 2021 Aug 27;12:727231. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727231. PMID: 34512483; PMCID: PMC8429896.
- Bretherton, B., Deuchars, J., & Windsor, W. L. (2019). The Effects of Controlled Tempo Manipulations on Cardiovascular Autonomic Function. Music & Science, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059204319858281.
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