Smaller Plate Size Can Cut Down on Overeating, Study Finds
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iStockphoto/Thinkstock(PHILADELPHIA) — There is an obesity epidemic among America’s children. Doctors and even the First Lady are pushing healthier foods, especially vegetables and fruit, to help kids lose weight. Now there’s an even simpler way to help stop childhood obesity.
A new study done by the Center for Obesity Research and Education in Philadelphia says the size of the dinner plate goes a long way to reducing food consumption.
For the study, researchers picked 48 children from two first grade classrooms and observed their eating habits. The children were allowed to serve themselves. However, they were offered two different-sized plates, 7.25 inches or 10.25 inches, over the course of eight lunches. The amount of food they served themselves was quietly weighed.
As previous studies had shown in adults, children consumed more food when the plate was larger.
The researchers point out that the results proved true for all of the children, regardless of their body weight, with exception of the children who don’t get regular meals. They helped themselves to even more food.
The study appears to reinforce what some parents already know: your kids, and for that matter everybody else, will eat less food if you serve them with a smaller plate.
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