Smaller Plate Won't Help Your Diet, Research Shows

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Numerous other studies refute these conclusions. It was a very small study so should be taken with a grain of salt. Also, although I have yet to read the actual study, it sounds like the women were able to "self serve" on to their large or small plates. Sounds like buffet style eating which pushes people to overeat. It would have been more telling regarding plate size if it wasn't a buffet situation, but rather, a fixed amount of food on a large vs small plate and then self-reported hunger/fullness before and after eating.

cathy goldberg of CA 4:22PM February 07, 2012

Why would a reputable journal even bother publishing findings based on a study of only 20 people? As someone who has been in the food industry for 23 years, and has been producing food for, and pricing, buffets for a large portion of those years, I can say from my experience that smaller plates ABSOLUTELY make a huge difference in how much food people eat. Large food service corporations like Compass Group have funded their own studies looking for ways to save food costs, and have found the same thing that I have in my experience, which includes feeding literally tens of thousands of people from buffets, not 20. In particular accounts, we have cut up to 20% of food usage on buffets just by switching plate sizes. People simply eat more when their plates are larger and they are eating from a buffet because they can fit more food on their plate. They want to try everything, and a larger plate allows them to do that.
I suggest this journal look to some industries who have done extensive research on this topic before publishing something off a study group of only 20 people. Ridiculous, completely ridiculous.

Brandon O'Dell of KS 3:37PM February 06, 2012

Companies use "Get Official Samples" to distribute free samples and product samples to give consumers the opportunity to try their latest and greatest product lines.

ginamcneil of CA 4:46AM February 04, 2012