Did you know that your fast-eating friend can also influence your own eating habits? A study published in the journal PLoS ONE found that diners who eat fast can influence their dining partner’s eating pace, to the point where they even take bites at the same time as them.

So why is this so? According to the lead researcher of the study Roel Hermans, “We automatically mimic many aspects of the people with whom we interact, including their postures, gestures, mannerisms, and speech accents."

The worst part about scarfing down food is that it also leads to weight gain. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to register hunger, meaning you risk overeating whenever by eating faster. To avoid this, take a sip of water after every bite as it'll help you feel fuller, faster.

Apparently, this kind of behavior can affect how you view your romantic dinner partner. Men in the study were asked to rate women on how desirable they were as a friend or a potential romantic partner; the ones who ate small meals were rated higher than women who ate larger meals.