Package Unit Size and Amount of Food: Do Both Influence Intake?
Open accessAbstract
Objective: Large portions increase intake and are hypothesized to contribute to the obesity epidemic. However, it is unclear if portion size affects intake through changes in the unit size of available food or the overall amount of food available for consumption. Thus, this study examined the independent effects of package unit size and amount of food on intake. It was hypothesized that both variables would influence intake. Research Methods and Procedures: Non‐obese (BMI <30 kg/m 2), non‐smoking, unrestrained, college‐aged men (n = 12) and women (n = 16) who regularly consumed (≥3 times/wk) snack foods were randomly assigned to one of four groups crossing package unit size (small vs. large) and amount of food (small vs. large). Participants were given a box with 4 snack foods (potato chips, cheese crackers, cookies, and candy) packaged according to their assigned group to take home and eat over 3 days. Dependent variables were energy and gram intake of provided snack foods. Results: An effect of amount of food was found (p < 0.01). A 100% increase in the amount of food provided produced an 81% increase in energy consumed from the snack foods [small amount, 21,037.6 ± 10,852 kJ (5028 ± 2596 kcal) vs. large amount, 11,640.7 ± 4914.1 kJ (2782 ± 1174 kcal)]. No effect of package unit size was found. Discussion: These results suggest that the amount of food available to eat strongly influences intake.
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Because food intake depends on the amount and palatability of food provided, the overeating of more than 3,400 calories daily in each bedtime condition may have masked the effect of sleep duration on total energy intake.
“Since food intake is critically dependent on the amount and palatability of food provided to the subject [132], the subjects overate (>3,400 calories daily) in each bedtime condition, which may have masked the impact of sleep duration on total energy intake.”
From Sleep and metabolic function (2012) · cites this paper as [132]
Nedeltcheva et al. observed similar weight at the end of each 14-day sleep extension or restriction period in overweight men and women with unlimited palatable food; subjects overate and gained about 2 kg in each condition.
“By contrast, Nedeltcheva et al. observed similar weight at the end of each 14-day period of sleep extension or sleep restriction in overweight men and women exposed to unlimited palatable food in a laboratory setting. Consistent with the fact that overeating usually occurs when unlimited palatable food is available [132], the subjects overate and gained ~2 kg in each sleep condition [116].”
From Sleep and metabolic function (2012) · cites this paper as [132]
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References 32 · Cited by 89
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Geier AB, Rozin P, Doros G. Unit bias: a new heuristic that helps explain the effect of portion size on food intake. Psychol Sci. 2006;17:521-5.
- Authors
- Raynor, H. A., & Wing, R. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
- Brown University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Raynor, Hollie A.
- Venue
- Obesity
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2311-2319
- ISSN
- 1930-7381 (ISSN-L)
- 1930-739X
- OpenAlex
- W2058894807
- Cited by
- 89
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Obesity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK074721, R21DK074919, DK074919, R01DK074721)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Keywords
- portion size, dietary intake, snacks, energy intake, food packaging, food environment
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Energy Intake, Diet, Eating, Feeding Behavior, Female, Food, Food Preferences, Humans, Male, Weights and Measures, Body Mass Index, Food Packaging
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