You may not notice it but lighting plays an important role when we choose our food at a restaurant.

A team of researchers recently concluded their study entitled "Shining Light on Atmospherics: How Ambient Light Influences Food Choices" which sought to determine the relationship between lighting and people's food choices.

The team studied the food choices of 160 restaurant goers from different chain restaurants, with half of the respondents in a brightly lit establishment while half were placed in a more dimly lit environment.

Based on the results of the study, those who were in the brighter rooms were 16 to 24 percent more likely to order a healthier meal while those in the ambient locations leaned towards fried foods and desserts.

In terms of calories, those who were in dimly lit rooms ordered 39 percent more calories than their counterparts in the brightly lit establishments.

"Process evidence suggests that this phenomenon occurs because ambient light luminance influences mental alertness, which in turn influences food choices. While restaurant and perhaps grocery store managers can use these insights and their ambient light switches to nudge consumers toward targeted food choices, such as healthy or high margin signature items, health conscious consumers can opt for dining environments with bright ambient lighting," the study concluded.

"We feel more alert in brighter rooms and therefore tend to make more healthful, forward-thinking decisions," the study's lead author Dipayan Biswas, said in a statement.

The team of researchers comprised: Dipayan Biswas,a professor of Marketing at the University of South Florida; Courtney Szocs, assistant professor of Marketing at Portland State University; Brian Wansink, John S. Dyson professor of Marketing at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University and Roger Chacko, the EVP and Chief Branding and Marketing Officer at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group