Do not eat while playing with your phone or watching TV

It is a common habit to eat while watching TV, talking on the phone, or engaging in other digital activities - a habit that is harmful to health. This practice reduces mindfulness during meals, disrupting the body's hunger and satiety signals. As a result, more food is consumed, calorie intake increases, and less healthy choices are made. Studies show that using smartphones or reading during meals can increase calorie intake by up to 15 percent. This is because distractions make it difficult to perceive taste and texture, prolong mealtime, and impair the formation of food memories essential for regulating hunger and appetite. This practice is also problematic for children and adolescents as it can affect their relationship with food by increasing selectivity and impulsivity when eating and contributing to anxiety and depression. To counteract this, it is important to eat mindfully. This approach includes refraining from electronic devices during meals, creating a quiet environment, participating in food preparation, and focusing on the taste and texture of food. Other useful strategies to promote mindful and healthy eating include establishing regular meal times and specific locations.