Watching scary movies burns up to 200 calories, study reveals

PanARMENIAN.Net - A new study has revealed that watching scary movies can burn up to 200 calories a sitting, Digital Spy said citing to The Sunday Telegraph.

The adrenaline rushes that viewers experience during a 90-minute horror film are believed to use up the same amount of energy as is contained within a bar of chocolate.

Scientists from the University of Westminster monitored the total energy expenditure of ten different people as they watched a selection of movies.

Participants' heart rates, oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output were measured and the study found that on average, the number of calories used increased by a third during horror film viewing.

The movie that burned the most calories across the board was 1980 psychological thriller The Shining, with the average viewer using up 184 calories - close to the amount burned during a half-hour walk.

Classic shark horror Jaws finished second, with viewers burning on average 161 calories, and The Exorcist came third, with participants using up around 158 calories during each viewing.

The research also confirmed that films featuring shock moments designed to make viewers jump are the best calorie-burners, as they cause a spike in heart rate.