People tend to eat more while watching television - especially action shows, according to a new study.

A Cornell University study has found that viewers mindlessly snack more while watching fast-paced television than more leisurely-paced shows.

Researchers observed the snacking habits of 100 undergraduates as they watched one of three 20-minute sessions on television. Participants either watched Michael Bay's 2005 sci-fi thriller "The Island" starring Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor with sound, without sound or watched the Charlie Rose public television interview talk show. The students were all provided with a banquet of cookies, M&M's, carrots and grapes to consume while watching.

When watching "The Island", students ate about 7 ounces of various snack foods, and 354 calories in total. They ate 140 calories less and nearly half the ounces of junk food when watching Charlie Rose. Even when watching The Island without sound, they ate almost 100 calories more than they did with Charlie Rose. The study's lead author Aner Tal concluded the faster paced TV seemed to distract viewers more, which led to mindless eating.

"More stimulating programs that are fast paced, include many camera cuts, really draw you in and distract you from what you are eating," Tal said. "They can make you eat more because you're paying less attention to how much you are putting in your mouth."

According to Tal, constantly watching action TV could increase a viewer's risk for overeating and obesity, so viewers should hide or use other means to avoid their supply of high-calorie snacks when watching TV to avoid mindless eating.

Previous studies have shown that cooking shows attract unhealthier eating than nature programs, and other research has suggested that watching any sort of good television increases the appetite.