Reducing food portion size is a potential strategy to reduce energy intake. However it is unclear at what point consumers compensate for reductions in portion size by increasing energy intake from other items. This could result in no overall benefit of reducing food portion sizes. The investigators tested the hypothesis that reductions to the portion size of components of a main meal will only result in significant compensatory eating when the reduced portion size is no longer visually perceived as 'normal'. In a crossover experiment, participants were served different sized portions during lunch and dinner over 5 days: a 'large-normal', a 'small-normal', and a 'smaller than normal' portion. Intake from all other meal components consumed in the laboratory were measured.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
39
Smaller than normal portion size - the intervention is the main meal component size perceived as 'smaller than normal' that participants are provided with during lunch and dinner in the laboratory. Small-normal portion size - the intervention is the main meal component size perceived as 'small-normal' that participants are provided with during lunch and dinner in the laboratory. Large-normal portion size - the intervention is the main meal component size perceived as 'large-normal' that participants are provided with during lunch and dinner in the laboratory.
Ashleigh Haynes
Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom
Acute compensatory energy intake
Energy intake from main meal components that are not varied by portion size
Time frame: Immediate (within single meal occasion)
Total meal energy intake
Energy intake from all main meal components (including those that are and are not varied by portion size)
Time frame: Immediate (within single meal occasion)
Total daily energy intake
Energy intake from all foods consumed, including those provided in the laboratory and those self-reported
Time frame: Over 5 x full days
Moderate-vigorous physical activity
Moderate-vigorous physical activity (recorded using accelerometer device)
Time frame: Over 5 x full days
Discretionary Leisure-time physical activity
Discretionary Leisure-time physical activity (recorded with self-report measure International Physical Activity Questionnaire)
Time frame: Over 5 x full days
Appetite
Hunger and fullness sensations before and after laboratory-based meals (self-reported on visual analog scales anchored at 0 'not at all' to 100 'extremely')
Time frame: Over 5 x full days (measured before and after each meal occasion)
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.