WASHINGTON — You may have noticed some distinct gender-driven eating patterns at your Thanksgiving table.

It is said that women eat like a bird when men are around. It has now been found that men are programmed to eat like a horse around the opposite sex.

Researchers at Cornell University observed diners at an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet. They found men who dined with women ate 93 percent more pizza than those who sat with the guys.

The overeating even extended to healthier food: The men ate a lot more salad when in front of women.

The researchers say men may overeat in mixed company to appear manly, and they say both sexes need to calm down when they dine together.