April 10, 2024
Overview:
Food coma, or postprandial somnolence, is a state that leads to reduced alertness, particularly in the mid-afternoon. This One Health Trust co-authored study shows how the timing of meals affects cognitive performance in adolescents and young adults.
The Question:
How does food coma impact cognitive abilities in relation to the timing of tests conducted after a meal?
Findings:
By analyzing time use data from around 4,600 Indian adolescents and young adults, the researchers found that taking tests within an hour after eating can lead to lower scores. Specifically, test-takers scored 8 percent lower in English, 8 percent lower in their native language, 8 percent lower in math, and 16 percent lower on Raven’s progressive matrices compared to those who took the tests more than an hour after their meal. The research suggests that the negative effects of post-meal drowsiness on cognitive performance are linked to increased feelings of fatigue and reduced cognitive resources, especially when facing more challenging test questions.
Read the study published by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics here.
