Provision of Small vs. Large Portion Sizes and Later Food Intake

University of Liverpool

Status: Completed

Conditions: Eating Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Large portion size provision; Behavioral: Small portion size provision

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03241576

463882A

Details and patient eligibility

About

In 3 laboratory experiments the effect that receiving a small vs. large portion size of food has on later intake of that food was examined

Full description

Historical increases in the size of commercially available food products have been linked to the emergence of a worldwide obesity crisis. Although the acute effect portion size has on food intake is well established, the effect that exposure to smaller portion sizes has on future portion size selection is yet to be examined.We tested whether reducing a food portion size may 'renormalize' perceptions of what constitutes a normal amount of food to eat and result in people selecting and consuming smaller portions of that food in future. Across three experiments participants were served a large or smaller portion of food. In experiments 1-2, twenty four hours later participants freely selected and consumed a portion of that food. In experiment 3, one week later participants reported on their preferred portion size of that food.

Enrollment: 307 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

• History of food allergy, eating disorder or currently dieting to lose weight

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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307 participants in 2 patient groups

Small portion size provision

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm are served a small serving of a lunchtime food to eat (session 1).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Small portion size provision

Large portion size provision

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this arm are served a large serving of a lunchtime food to eat (session 1).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Large portion size provision