If you watch a lot of cooking shows we have bad news for you

Planning on trying out a new recipe you saw on TV? Or are you always on the lookout for new tips from celebrity chefs?

We have bad news: according to a new study from Cornell university's Food and Brand Lab, those who source their recipes from TV and cook their meals from scratch weigh almost a stone more than those who do not.

In the research, published in the journal Appetite, scientists surveyed 501 randomly chosen women between 20-35 to assess their cooking habits. Those who got recipe information from cookery shows weighed, on average, 11 pounds more than those who watched food TV but did not cook - and they also weighed more than those who looked for ideas online or got them from other people.

"One reason for this phenomenon may be that often the recipes portrayed on TV are not the healthiest and allow you to feel like it's OK to prepare and indulge in either less nutritious food or bigger portions," said the study's co-author Professor Brian Wansink.

If you are UK based, there's one caveat to keep in mind when looking at the data: the study looked at American women, so the results may be slightly different if the study was replicated with British women. Still, there are lessons to learn and as lead author Dr Lizzy Pope notes: "It is so important for cooks who enjoy watching these shows to recognise these influences and learn to modify recipes."

More: Your favourite films are (probably) making you fat