London, Dec 1 (IANS): Next time while treating yourself to a sizeable slab of chocolate cake, don't allow unnecessary fearful thoughts to enter your mind, especially related to putting on weight.
Psychologists have discovered that those of us who see it as something to celebrate are much more likely to stay slim. But if you are racked with guilt afterwards, the chances are you will pile on the pounds.
The findings, published in the latest online edition of the journal Appetite, show the way we perceive tasty treats like chocolate cake is just as important as the calorie count when it comes to expanding waistlines, Daily Mail reported.
Britain is the seventh highest chocolate consumer in the world and the average person gets through around 17 pounds a year, the equivalent of around three bars a week.
The British chocolate industry is reported to be worth in the region of 3.6 billion pounds ($5.8 billion) a year.