When it comes to eating at Chinese buffets, normal-weight diners have a different approach from that of obese patrons. Slimmer customers are more likely to browse the buffet before serving themselves, use chopsticks instead of forks and sit with their backs to the food, according to a new study.

Researchers had 22 trained observers watch patrons at 11 all-you-can-eat buffets at Chinese restaurants around the country. Here are some of their findings:

• 71 percent of normal-weight diners browsed the food offerings before serving themselves, as opposed to 33 percent of obese patrons
• 27 percent of normal-weight people chose seats facing the buffet, as opposed to 42 percent of obese diners
• 38 percent of normal-weight patrons sat at a booth rather than a table, compared with 16 percent of heavy diners
• 24 percent of normal-weight people used chopsticks, while only 9 percent of heavy patrons did
• Overweight people sat an average of 16 feet closer to the buffet than normal-weight people
• Normal-weight people chewed each bite an average of 15 times, compared with 12 times for obese people