Fragrance Affects Weight Perception

A decade-long study revealed that men perceived women to be 12 pounds lighter when wearing floral-spicy perfume, according to the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Chicago. The foundation tested more than 100 odors—including butterscotch, grapefruit, pepperoni pizza and even cigarette smoke—but only the spicy-floral fragrance appeared to alter men’s weight perception.
No odor was found that influenced women’s ability to estimate weight. Alan R. Hirsch, MD, lead investigator, said, “Either women are too adroit at guessing other people’s weight, or men are just easily influenced by how a woman smells.”