Updated

Single individuals and those who chew on gum may hold the secret to shedding off those extra pounds, according to researchers.

Two separate studies, presented at a recent conference by the Obesity Society in New Orleans, found that staying single and chewing gum may help prevent people from adding on extra weight.

Researchers at the University of Chapel Hill in North Carolina studied 8,000 young Americans over a five-year period and found that once they entered into a committed relationship or were married they also started to gain more weight.

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In general, single women gained 15 pounds, and single men gained 24 pounds over five years, according to the study. Those who were in relationships or married added on more pounds over the same timeframe than those who were single. Committed women added on an additional 9 pounds, and men in relationships added on an extra 6 pounds than those who were single.

Another study, conducted by Caledonian University in Glasgow found that chewing gum can suppress appetites.

Researchers asked volunteers to prepare a meal while they chewed gum, and more than half of the participants reported that they had fewer episodes of hunger while cooking and ate less. Sweet cravings for those who chewed gum also decreased by 46.5 calories.