Eating with a smaller spoon decreases bite size, eating rate and ad libitum food intake in healthy young males
Open accessAbstract
There is a paucity of data examining the effect of cutlery size on the microstructure of within-meal eating behaviour or food intake. Therefore, the present studies examined how manipulation of spoon size influenced these eating behaviour measures in lean young men. In study one, subjects ate a semi-solid porridge breakfast ad libitum, until satiation. In study two, subjects ate a standardised amount of porridge, with mean bite size and mean eating rate covertly measured by observation through a one-way mirror. Both studies involved subjects completing a familiarisation visit and two experimental visits, where they ate with a teaspoon (SMALL) or dessert spoon (LARGE), in randomised order. Subjective appetite measures (hunger, fullness, desire to eat and satisfaction) were made before and after meals. In study one, subjects ate 8 % less food when they ate with the SMALL spoon (SMALL 532 (SD 189) g; LARGE 575 (SD 227) g; P=0·006). In study two, mean bite size (SMALL 10·5 (SD 1·3) g; LARGE 13·7 (SD 2·6) g; P<0·001) and eating rate (SMALL 92 (SD 25) g/min; LARGE 108 (SD 29) g/min; P<0·001) were reduced in the SMALL condition. There were no condition or interaction effects for subjective appetite measures. These results suggest that eating with a small spoon decreases ad libitum food intake, possibly via a cascade of effects on within-meal eating microstructure. A small spoon might be a practical strategy for decreasing bite size and eating rate, likely increasing oral processing, and subsequently decreasing food intake, at least in lean young men.
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Factors of dubious relation to chronic energy balance, such as utensil size or plate color, influence acute consumption.
“Myriad factors of dubious relation to chronic energy balance—such as utensil size (146) or plate color (147)—influence acute consumption.”
From The carbohydrate-insulin model: A physiological perspective on the obesity pandemic (2021) · cites this paper as [146]
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- Authors
- James, L. J., Maher, T., Biddle, J., & Broom, D. R.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- Oxford Brookes University (GB)
- Sheffield Hallam University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- James, Lewis J.
- Venue
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2018-08-29
- Volume
- 120
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 830-837
- ISSN
- 0007-1145 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2662
- OpenAlex
- W2889299141
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal Of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (acceptedVersion)
- Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Keywords
- bite size, eating speed, ad libitum food intake, subjective appetite, satiation, porridge, young men
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Appetite, Energy Intake, Edible Grain, Cooking and Eating Utensils, Eating, Feeding Behavior, Humans, Male, Personal Satisfaction, Reference Values, Satiation, Satiety Response, Body Mass Index, Young Adult, Breakfast, Portion Size
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