Portion size of food affects energy intake in normal-weight and overweight men and women
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Background Large portions of food may contribute to excess energy intake and greater obesity. However, data on the effects of portion size on food intake in adults are limited.Objectives We examined the effect of portion size on intake during a single meal. We also investigated whether the response to portion size depended on which person, the subject or the experimenter, determined the amount of food on the plate.Design Fifty-one men and women were served lunch 1 d/wk for 4 wk. Lunch included an entrée of macaroni and cheese consumed ad libitum. At each meal, subjects were presented with 1 of 4 portions of the entrée: 500, 625, 750, or 1000 g. One group of subjects received the portion on a plate, and a second group received it in a serving dish and took the amount they desired on their plates.Results Portion size significantly influenced energy intake at lunch (P < 0.0001). Subjects consumed 30% more energy (676 kJ) when offered the largest portion than when offered the smallest portion. The response to the variations in portion size was not influenced by who determined the amount of food on the plate or by subject characteristics such as sex, body mass index, or scores for dietary restraint or disinhibition.Conclusions Larger portions led to greater energy intake regardless of serving method and subject characteristics. Portion size is a modifiable determinant of energy intake that should be addressed in connection with the prevention and treatment of obesity.
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De Castro (1995) reported that meals eaten in the presence of others were 44% larger than when meals were eaten alone.
“De Castro (1995) reported that meals eaten in the presence of others were 44% larger than when meals were eaten alone”
From The effect of the Thanksgiving Holiday on weight gain (2006) · cites this paper as [14]
Rolls et al. (2002) and Levitsky (2002) demonstrated that increased portion size is associated with increased consumption.
“while Rolls et al. (2002) and Levitsky 2002 demonstrated that increased portion size is associated with increased consumption [14-16].”
From The effect of the Thanksgiving Holiday on weight gain (2006) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Rolls, B. J., Morris, E. L., & Roe, L. S.
- Affiliations
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rolls, Barbara J
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-12
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1207-1213
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2255365034
- Cited by
- 793
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 53 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 23.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK-39177, R01DK059853, DK59853)
- 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
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Keywords
- portion size, energy intake, dietary intake, obesity prevention, serving size, plate size, dietary restraint, disinhibition, body mass index, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Weight, Energy Intake, Eating, Female, Food, Humans, Hunger, Male, Obesity, Satiation, Sex Characteristics, Body Mass Index
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