Article
Reducing Portion Size Reduces Food Intake and Plate Waste
Obesity
(2010)
Abstract
As portion size (PS) increases, so does food intake. The effect of decreasing PS on food intake in a nonlaboratory setting is unknown. This 5-week study sought to determine whether decreasing PS resulted in decreased intake of the same food, and if so, at what point further PS reductions might lack benefit. It also assessed effects of PS reduction on food production and waste in a university all-you-can-eat dining facility (DF). Subjects were primarily freshmen who regularly ate lunch at the DF, and self-selected French fries (FF) presented in individual paper bags, portioned originally at 88 g, and decreased ∼15 g/week for 3 weeks. Diners were covertly observed choosing one or more bags. Total FF production and plate waste (PW) were determined daily. Decreasing PS resulted in significant decreases in consumption per diner (P < 0.05) and PW (P < 0.05), and nonsignificant decreases in total FF consumption and production. PS was positively correlated with consumption per diner (r = 0.897, P = 0.001) and PW (r = 0.852, P = 0.001), but inversely correlated with number of diners choosing ≥2 bags (r = −0.809, P = 0.003). Total FF production was positively correlated with PW (r = 0.728, P = 0.011). This study shows that reducing PS of a particular item in an all-you-can-eat environment results in reduced intake of that food for most individuals, and that reducing PS reduces PW and food production.
Disciplines
Publication Date
September, 2010
DOI
10.1038/oby.2009.480
Publisher Statement
This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article whose final and definitive form, the Version of Record, has been published in Obesity, 2010 in Volume 18, Issue 9. Find the published version of this article at this link. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
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Citation Information
Marjorie R. Freedman and Carolina Brochado. "Reducing Portion Size Reduces Food Intake and Plate Waste" Obesity Vol. 18 Iss. 9 (2010) p. 1864 - 1866 ISSN: 1930-7381 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/marjorie_freedman/15/