Do Adults Draw Differently-Sized Meals on Larger or Smaller Plates? Examining Plate Size in a Community Sample

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Nutrition Science
• Psychology

Background:

• Previous studies indicate plate size affects food and meal size perception.
• Plate size manipulation may alter projected meal quantities and portion sizes in adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of plate size on adult perceptions of meal and portion sizes.
• To determine if plate size impacts estimated food quantities for dinner.

Main Methods:

• 281 adult parents drew and labeled their expected dinner portions on either 23 cm or 28 cm plates.
• Participants were interviewed in their homes in a US city.
• Food items were labeled to ensure accurate recording of meal components.

Main Results:

• Larger plates (28 cm) resulted in approximately 24% more food drawn compared to smaller plates (23 cm).
• Men using larger plates drew meals 37% larger; women using larger plates drew meals 17% larger.
• Differences were most pronounced in the largest food items, particularly meat portions, which were larger on 28 cm plates for both sexes.

Conclusions:

• Adults' estimations of dinner meal size are influenced by the size of the plate used.
• The effect of plate size on perceived meal quantity is more pronounced in men than women.
• Larger plates may encourage increased food consumption, particularly of meat, among men.