London: Asking obese people to go an extra mile seems to be a fruitless effort at times and now, we know why.
According to a new study, the heavier you are, the greater your brain perceives the distances to be, the Mirror reported.
The US researchers found that fat people are far less likely to engage in physical activity because they perceive distances to be twice as long compared to healthy people.
The findings have health implications for individuals who may be less likely to engage in physical activity due to seeing a hill steeper or a distance longer.
Researcher Jessica Witt said that they think that these perceptual biases can create a vicious cycle for people with obesity where they see the world as impossible to navigate. They will be less likely to choose to be active and that's going to continue in this unhealthy lifestyle.
Witt said her research suggests that one solution to solving obesity would be to encourage fat people to target easier exercise levels, adding that it is conscious perception of the world, but it's not based on conscious perception of the body or feelings of laziness.
The study has been presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
