Obese people are trapped in an altered reality in which distances appear longer, making them less inclined to exercise, scientists found.In a study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, scientists recruited hundreds of people who shopped at Walmart and asked them to judge the distance of a cone placed on a road 25m away.They found that people who were 57kg judged the cone to be 15m away while those who were 146kg thought it was 30m.Jessica Witt, associate professor of cognitive psychology at Colorado State University said: "We think that these perceptual biases can create a vicious cycle for people with obesity, where they see the world as impossible to navigate. They will be less likely to choose to be active - and that's going to continue in this unhealthy lifestyle."It is conscious perception of the world. But it cannot be controlled - it is out of your hands. You can't will yourself to see that target as closer or that hill as less steep."Witt has previously shown how baseball players who are hitting well see the ball as bigger.She said giving people easier tasks to start with would motivate them to lose weight more." ..