The present study aims to investigate whether energy intake is reduced when participants consume a reduced portion size (15% compared to the 'control' portion), and also to see whether awareness of this reduction affects energy intake.
In the present study, all participants will participate in two sessions - the baseline session and the experimental session. In the baseline session, participants will be given ad libitum access to a lunch meal (followed by ad libitum access to dessert), and ad libitum access to a dinner meal (followed by ad libitum access to dessert). Then, after a washout period of between 1-6 weeks, participants will return to complete the experimental session, where they will be randomised to one of three conditions: Condition 1 (control condition): The same as the baseline condition except that the lunch will be of a fixed portion which participants must consume all of - this portion size will be the same amount of food as was consumed in the ad libitum lunch meal in the baseline session (participants will be told that the amount of food served is the same as the amount they consumed in the baseline session). Condition 2 (reduced aware condition): The same as the baseline condition except that the lunch will be of a fixed portion which participants must consume all of - this portion size will be 15% less than the amount of food consumed in the ad libitum lunch meal in the baseline session (participants will be told that the amount of food served has been reduced from the amount they consumed in the baseline session). Condition 3 (reduced unaware condition): The same as the baseline condition except that the lunch will be of a fixed portion which participants must consume all of - this portion size will be 15% less than the amount of food consumed in the ad libitum lunch meal in the baseline session (participants will be told that the amount of food served is the same as the amount they consumed in the baseline session).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
108
The intervention will be administered via changing portion sizes of foods served to participants. Depending on the condition participants are in, they will be served either a portion size which consists of the amount of food they consumed in the first test session, or a reduced portion size. Within these two reduced portion size conditions, one group of participants will be made aware that their portion size has been reduced, the other will not and instead will be told that this portion size is the same as the amount of food they consumed in the previous session.
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Immediate energy intake post-fixed lunch meal
Amount of energy consumed from the lunch dessert
Time frame: Within 30 minutes after intervention administered
Total delayed post-fixed lunch meal energy intake
Amount of energy consumed from the post-lunch snack box intake, dinner meal, dinner dessert, post-dinner snack box intake, additional energy intake
Time frame: Within 10 hours after intervention administered
Total post-fixed lunch meal energy intake
Amount of energy consumed from the lunch dessert, post-lunch snack box intake, dinner meal, dinner dessert, post-dinner snack box intake, additional energy intake
Time frame: Within 10 hours after intervention administered
Post-lunch snack box intake
Amount of energy consumed from snack box consumed between lunch and dinner
Time frame: Within 4 hours after intervention administered
Total intake of the ad libitum dinner meal
Amount of energy consumed from the dinner meal
Time frame: Within 4-5 hours after intervention administered
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