New research suggests that counting bites, not calories, could help with weight loss.
For the study, researchers from Brigham Young University in Utah asked a group of 61 participants to count the number of times they lifted food or drink to their mouths.
They were then asked to commit to taking 20 to 30 per cent fewer bites over the next week.
The 41 participants who successfully completed the task lost an average of 1.6 kg at the end of the experiment.
The results have also spurred the university's computer science department to develop an app that would be compatible with wearable devices to help people count their bites.
Researchers say the method would be a doable, cost-effective weight management tool.
The findings appear in Advances in the journal Obesity, Weight Management & Control.
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