Listening to rock music makes people fatter, a new study has found.
Angus Young
Heavy rock and abrasive hip-hop have been identified by researchers as music genres that make people less likely to have a healthy diet and lead to a 40 per cent increase in cravings for fattier, saltier and sugary snacks.
Researcher Danni Peng-Li said: "Fast tempo, high volume, staccato articulation, dissonance, distortion and lower pitch were associated with unhealthy eating."
However, people who like melodic jazz are more likely to tuck into healthy foods such as salads.
Peng-Li, from the Aarhus University in Denmark, said: "Usually soft classical music, meditation music or simply nature sounds will do the trick.
"Any music or soundscape that makes you mentally and physically relaxed is a better choice than music that induces the opposite."
Peng-Li suggests that people watching their weight should be mindful of the music they listen to.
He said: "Unhealthy or stressful music can diminish the cognitive resources that are necessary for making more rational and healthy food choices, whereas 'healthy' music generates a more relaxed and clearer mind."