Does shapewear make us less prone to taking risks? Weirdly, maybe yes

Shapewear, a type of clothing designed to shape and smooth the body, has been linked to a decrease in risky behavior according to a recent study. Researchers from Biological Psychiatry recruited 44 volunteers and had them wear either compressing shapewear or loose garments on consecutive days. The participants then underwent tests measuring their interoception, or their ability to sense internal bodily states such as heartbeat and gastrointestinal activity.

They were also asked to play a risk-taking game, the Columbia Card Task, where they chose how many face-down cards to flip over, with some cards providing positive points and others taking points away. The study found that wearing shapewear was associated with increased awareness of one's internal body state and reduced risk-taking behavior in the game.

While the authors suggest a male-female difference in the response to shapewear, the researchers remain skeptical of the findings. The article also discusses other unusual findings, such as the impact of onions on eye sensitivity and the potential influence of contact lenses on onion-induced tears.