囧研究：气味想象力发达者更易增重

People who can vividly imagine smells, such as freshly baked cookies or even wet paint, tend to weigh more than people whose olfactory imaginations are less sharp, new research finds.

新的研究发现，气味想象力发达的人，不管是想象新鲜出炉的饼干还是未干的油漆散发出来的味道，体重要比嗅觉想象力不那么发达的人重。

The ability to imagine odors varies greatly among people, ranging from people who can easily imagine the delicate, sweet aroma of a rose bouquet to those who struggle to recall the scent of a tuna casserole.

不同的人气味想象能力很不一样，有的人轻易地就能想象出玫瑰花的香甜可人，而有的人却很难回想起金枪鱼砂锅的味道。

Researchers wondered whether people who adeptly imagine smells, especially food odors, also tend to struggle with obesity. Previous research has shown that food cravings are associated with obesity, and that the intensity of people's food cravings is related to the vividness of their mental images of food, said the new study's lead researcher, Barkha Patel, a postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry at Yale University.

研究者好奇，气味想象擅长者，尤其是想象食物的气味，这一类人会不会更容易有肥胖的困扰。早前就有研究显示，好吃的人通常会跟肥胖扯上关系，而对食物渴望的程度与食物在其脑海中成像的鲜活度也是相关的，耶鲁大学精神病学博士后巴卡·帕特尔如是说。

"People who were obese (had higher BMIs) were better able to imagine odors — both food and nonfood odors," Patel told Live Science in an email.

帕特尔在给Live Science的邮件中写道，“肥胖的人(即身体质量指数高的人)想象气味—食物和非食物的气味的能力要更高。

"Being better able to imagine odors could intensify the craving experience, which in turn would encourage food consumption," Patel said. "However, if the ability to imagine odors was disrupted by something like a walk, for example, perhaps cravings would diminish, and we wouldn't feel the need to eat."

“气味想象能力更强的人其对食物的渴望程度可能会更强，这样一来会刺激进食,帕特尔说道，“但是，如果气味想象的能力受到诸如散步的干扰，或许对事物渴望的程度就会下降，而我们就不会有要吃东西的欲望。

The finding may help researchers develop weight-loss programs better tailored for individuals, Patel said.

帕特尔称，这一发现或许能帮助研究者为不同的人量身定制出不同的减肥方案。