Study says watching horror films can help you lose weight

Some studies make me want to be a scientist. You get to sit around thinking about stuff and pretty much do whatever you want to do to whoever. In one of the more odd studies to come out lately, the University of Westminster (commissioned by rental company LOVEFiLM) has concluded that watching a horror film could potentially help you lose as many calories as a brisk walk.

The study monitored the heart rates, energy expenditure, oxygen intake, and carbon dioxide outtake of ten individuals during ten different horror films and discovered that those areas would increase by about a third each. Notably, this happened the most with jump scares:

Each of the ten films tested set pulses racing, sparking an increase in the heart rate of the case studies. As the pulse quickens and blood pumps around the body faster, the body experiences a surge in adrenaline. It is this release of fast acting adrenaline, produced during short bursts of intense stress (or in this case, brought on by fear), which is known to lower the appetite, increase the Basal Metabolic Rate and ultimately burn a higher level of calories.

While this study wasn’t necessarily tested by other scientists, or could be truly conclusive in any way, it is fun to think about. What if watching horror films (and really paying attention to them) did help us burn calories? Wait…if that were true, then I wouldn’t be the 6’3, 300 pound sex machine that I am. I am truly confused. If you’re interested in what films the individuals watched and how many estimated calories were burned during each one, you can check out the list after the jump.

Here’s the list with The Shining not surprisingly have the most potential, and Saw, super surprisingly, been as high on the list as it is.

1. The Shining: 184 calories

2. Jaws: 161 calories

3. The Exorcist: 158 calories

4. Alien: 152 calories

5. Saw: 133 calories

6. A Nightmare on Elm Street: 118 calories

7. Paranormal Activity: 111 calories

8. The Blair Witch Project: 105 calories

9. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 107 calories

10. [Rec]: 101 calories