Abstract
There is growing interest in the role of large portions in overeating. Experimental studies consistently demonstrate that serving large amounts of food leads individuals to consume more food and energy than they require. This portion size effect has been observed across different types of foods and beverages and can be sustained over several months. Furthermore, there is evidence that prolonged provision of large portions can lead to weight gain. The robust nature of this effect has led to efforts to identify strategies to manage food and beverage portions. Certain characteristics of the consumer (e.g., satiety responsiveness, slowness of eating) and the available food (e.g., relative palatability, value) have been found to influence the effect of portion size, and these are potential targets for interventions to attenuate the response. To date, the most reliable and effective method to moderate energy intake from large portions is reducing the energy density of the diet. Future studies need to build on current knowledge to understand individual and contextual variability in the response to portion size. A more comprehensive understanding of the portion size effect can lead to the development of a systems approach in which the food, individual, and environment are targeted simultaneously to counter the effects of large portions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Almiron-Roig, E., Solis-Trapala, I., Dodd, J., & Jebb, S. A. (2013). Estimating food portions. Influence of unit number, meal type and energy density. Appetite, 71, 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.07.012.
Almiron-Roig, E., Tsiountsioura, M., Lewis, H. B., Wu, J., Solis-Trapala, I., & Jebb, S. A. (2015). Large portion sizes increase bite size and eating rate in overweight women. Physiology & Behavior, 139, 297–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.11.041.
Almiron-Roig, E., Domínguez, A., Vaughan, D., Solis-Trapala, I., & Jebb, S. A. (2016). Acceptability and potential effectiveness of commercial portion control tools amongst people with obesity. British Journal of Nutrition, 116(11), 1974–1983. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114516004104.
Almiron-Roig, E., Navas-Carretero, S., Emery, P., & Martínez, J. A. (2018). Research into food portion size: Methodological aspects and applications. Food & Function, 9(2), 715–739. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7fo01430a.
Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The psychology of sunk cost. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 35, 124–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(85)90049-4.
Benton, D. (2015). Portion size: What we know and what we need to know. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55(7), 988–1004. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2012.679980.
Berg, C., Lappas, G., Wolk, A., Strandhagen, E., Torén, K., Rosengren, A., … Lissner, L. (2009). Eating patterns and portion size associated with obesity in a Swedish population. Appetite, 52(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2008.07.008.
Birch, L. L., Savage, J. S., & Fisher, J. O. (2015). Right sizing prevention. Food portion size effects on children’s eating and weight. Appetite, 88, 11–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.11.021.
Blake, A. J., Guthrie, H. A., & Smiciklas-Wright, H. (1989). Accuracy of food portion estimation by overweight and normal-weight subjects. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 89(7), 962–964. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2745915.
Blatt, A. D., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2011). Hidden vegetables : An effective strategy to reduce energy intake and increase vegetable intake in adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(4), 756–763. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.110.009332.1.
Bolhuis, D. P., Forde, C. G., Cheng, Y., Xu, H., Martin, N., & de Graaf, C. (2014). Slow food: Sustained impact of harder foods on the reduction in energy intake over the course of the day. PLoS One, 9(4), e93370. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093370.
Bolton, L. E., & Alba, J. W. (2012). When less is more: Consumer aversion to unused utility. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 369–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.09.002.
Bray, G. A., Flatt, J.-P., Volaufova, J., DeLany, J. P., & Champagne, C. M. (2008). Corrective responses in human food intake identified from an analysis of 7-d food-intake records. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(6), 1504–1510. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2008.26289.
Brown, H. M., Rollo, M. E., de Vlieger, N. M., Collins, C. E., & Bucher, T. (2018). Influence of the nutrition and health information presented on food labels on portion size consumed: A systematic review. Nutrition Reviews, 76(9), 655–677. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy019.
Brunstrom, J. M. (2014). Mind over platter: Pre-meal planning and the control of meal size in humans. International Journal of Obesity, 38(S1), S9–S12. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.83.
Burger, K. S., Fisher, J. O., & Johnson, S. L. (2011). Mechanisms behind the portion size effect: Visibility and bite size. Obesity, 19(3), 546–551. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2010.233.
Casazza, K., Brown, A., Astrup, A., Bertz, F., Baum, C., Brown, M. B., et al. (2015). Weighing the evidence of common beliefs in obesity research. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55(14), 2014–2053. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2014.922044.
Cavanagh, K., Vartanian, L. R., Herman, C. P., & Polivy, J. (2014). The effect of portion size on food intake is robust to brief education and mindfulness exercises. Journal of Health Psychology, 19(6), 730–739. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105313478645.
CDC. (2016). How to avoid portion size pitfalls to manage your weight. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/portion-distortion
Diliberti, N., Bordi, P. L., Conklin, M. T., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2004). Increased portion size leads to increased energy intake in a restaurant meal. Obesity Research, 12(3), 562–568. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2004.64.
Dobbs, R., Sawers, C., Thompson, F., Manyika, J., Woetzel, J., Child, P., … Spatharou, A. (2014). Overcoming obesity: An initial economic analysis. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20Functions/Economic%20Studies%20TEMP/Our%20Insights/How%20the%20world%20could%20better%20fight%20obesity/MGI_Overcoming_obesity_Executive_summary.ashx
Drewnowski, A. (1998). Energy density, palatability, and satiety: Implications for weight control. Nutrition Reviews, 56(12), 347–353. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9884582.
Edelman, B., Engell, D., Bronstein, P., & Hirsch, E. (1986). Environmental effects on the intake of overweight and normal-weight men. Appetite, 7(1), 71–83. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3963800.
EFSA. (2015). Statement on the conditions of use for health claims related to meal replacements for weight control. EFSA Journal, 13(11). https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4287.
English, L., Lasschuijt, M., & Keller, K. L. (2015). Mechanisms of the portion size effect. What is known and where do we go from here? Appetite, 88, 39–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.11.004.
Faulkner, G. P., Livingstone, M. B. E., Pourshahidi, L. K., Spence, M., Dean, M., O’Brien, S., … Kerr, M. A. (2016). An evaluation of portion size estimation aids: Precision, ease of use and likelihood of future use. Public Health Nutrition, 19(13), 2377–2387. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016000082.
Ferriday, D., Bosworth, M. L., Godinot, N., Martin, N., Forde, C. G., Van Den Heuvel, E., … Brunstrom, J. M. (2016). Variation in the oral processing of everyday meals is associated with fullness and meal size; A potential nudge to reduce energy intake? Nutrients, 8(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8050315
Fisher, J. O. (2007). Effects of age on children’s intake of large and self-selected food portions. Obesity, 15(2), 403–412. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.549.
Fisher, J. O., & Kral, T. V. E. (2008). Super-size me: Portion size effects on young children’s eating. Physiology & Behavior, 94(1), 39–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.11.015.
Fisher, J. O., Rolls, B. J., & Birch, L. L. (2003). Children’s bite size and intake of an entrée are greater with large portions than with age-appropriate or self-selected portions. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77(5), 1164–1170. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/77.5.1164.
Fisher, J. O., Arreola, A., Birch, L. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2007a). Portion size effects on daily energy intake in low-income Hispanic and African American children and their mothers. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(6), 1709–1716. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/86.6.1709 [pii].
Fisher, J. O., Liu, Y., Birch, L. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2007b). Effects of portion size and energy density on young children’s intake at a meal. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(1), 174–179. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.017848.1.
Fisher, J. O., Goran, M. I., Rowe, S., & Hetherington, M. M. (2015). Forefronts in portion size. An overview and synthesis of a roundtable discussion. Appetite, 88, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.11.025.
Flood, J. E., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2006). The effect of increased beverage portion size on energy intake at a meal. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106(12), 1984–1990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2006.09.005.
Freedman, M. R. (2011). Point-of-selection nutrition information influences choice of portion size in an all-you-can-eat University dining hall. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 14(1), 86–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2011.548228.
Freedman, M. R., & Brochado, C. (2010). Reducing portion size reduces food intake and plate waste. Obesity, 18(9), 1864–1866. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.480.
French, S. A., Mitchell, N. R., Wolfson, J., Harnack, L. J., Jeffery, R. W., Gerlach, A. F., … Pentel, P. R. (2014). Portion size effects on weight gain in a free living setting. Obesity, 22(6), 1400–1405. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20720.
Geier, A. B., Rozin, P., & Doros, G. (2006). Unit bias. A new heuristic that helps explain the effect of portion size on food intake. Psychological Science, 17(6), 521–525. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01738.x.
Hannum, S. M., Carson, L., Evans, E. M., Canene, K. A., Petr, E. L., Bui, L., & Erdman, J. W. (2004). Use of portion-controlled entrees enhances weight loss in women. Obesity Research, 12(3), 538–546. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2004.61.
Hannum, S. M., Carson, L. A., Evans, E. M., Petr, E. L., Wharton, C. M., Bui, L., & Erdman, J. W. (2006). Use of packaged entrees as part of a weight-loss diet in overweight men: An 8-week randomized clinical trial. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 8(2), 146–155. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-1326.2005.00493.x.
Harnack, L. J., French, S. A., Oakes, J. M., Story, M. T., Jeffery, R. W., & Rydell, S. A. (2008). Effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: Results from an experimental trial. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5, 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-5-63.
Herman, C. P., & Polivy, J. (2005). Normative influences on food intake. Physiology & Behavior, 86(5), 762–772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.08.064.
Herman, C. P., Polivy, J., Pliner, P., & Vartanian, L. R. (2015). Mechanisms underlying the portion-size effect. Physiology & Behavior, 144, 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.03.025.
Herman, C. P., Polivy, J., Vartanian, L. R., & Pliner, P. (2016). Are large portions responsible for the obesity epidemic? Physiology & Behavior, 156, 177–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.01.024.
Hermans, R. C. J., Larsen, J. K., Herman, C. P., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2012). How much should I eat? Situational norms affect young women’s food intake during meal time. British Journal of Nutrition, 107(04), 588–594. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511003278.
Hernández, T., Wilder, L., Kuehn, D., Rubotzky, K., Moser-Veillon, P., Godwin, S., … Wang, C. (2006). Portion size estimation and expectation of accuracy. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 19, S14–S21. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JFCA.2006.02.010.
Hetherington, M. M., & Blundell-Birtill, P. (2018). The portion size effect and overconsumption – towards downsizing solutions for children and adolescents. Nutrition Bulletin, 43(1), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12307.
Hetherington, M. M., Blundell-Birtill, P., Caton, S. J., Cecil, J. E., Evans, C. E., Rolls, B. J., & Tang, T. (2018). Understanding the science of portion control and the art of downsizing. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(03), 347–355. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665118000435.
Heymsfield, S. B. (2010). Meal replacements and energy balance. Physiology & Behavior, 100(1), 90–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.02.010.
Heymsfield, S. B., van Mierlo, C. A. J., van der Knaap, H. C. M., Heo, M., & Frier, H. I. (2003). Weight management using a meal replacement strategy: Meta and pooling analysis from six studies. International Journal of Obesity, 27(5), 537–549. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802258.
HHS & USDA. (2015). 2015–2020 Dietary guidelines. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
Hill, J. O., Wyatt, H. R., Reed, G. W., & Peters, J. C. (2003). Obesity and the environment: Where do we go from Here? Science, 299(5608), 853–855. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1079857.
Hollands, G. J., Shemilt, I., Marteau, T. M., Jebb, S. A., Lewis, H. B., Wei, Y., … Ogilvie, D. (2015). Portion, package or tableware size for changing selection and consumption of food, alcohol and tobacco. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9), CD011045. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011045.pub2.
Hollands, G. J., Cartwright, E., Pilling, M., Pechey, R., Vasiljevic, M., Jebb, S. A., & Marteau, T. M. (2018). Impact of reducing portion sizes in worksite cafeterias: A stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0705-1.
HPB. (2018). Health promotion board introduces my healthy plate to inculcate healthy eating habits amongst Singaporeans. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://www.hpb.gov.sg/article/health-promotion-board-introduces-my-healthy-plate-to-inculcate-healthy-eating-habits-amongst-singaporeans
Huber, J. M., Shapiro, J. S., Wieland, M. L., Croghan, I. T., Vickers Douglas, K. S., Schroeder, D. R., … Ebbert, J. O. (2015). Telecoaching plus a portion control plate for weight care management: A randomized trial. Trials, 16(1), 323. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0880-1.
Jeffery, R. W., Rydell, S., Dunn, C. L., Harnack, L. J., Levine, A. S., Pentel, P. R., … Walsh, E. M. (2007). Effects of portion size on chronic energy intake. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 4(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-4-27.
Kant, A. K., & Graubard, B. I. (2006). Secular trends in patterns of self-reported food consumption of adult Americans: NHANES 1971-1975 to NHANES 1999–2002. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(5), 1215–1223. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.5.1215.
Kelly, M. T., Wallace, J. M. W., Robson, P. J., Rennie, K. L., Welch, R. W., Hannon-Fletcher, M. P., … Livingstone, M. B. E. (2009). Increased portion size leads to a sustained increase in energy intake over 4 d in normal-weight and overweight men and women. British Journal of Nutrition, 102(03), 470. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114508201960.
Kesman, R. L., Ebbert, J. O., Harris, K. I., & Schroeder, D. R. (2011). Portion control for the treatment of obesity in the primary care setting. BMC Research Notes, 4(1), 346. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-4-346.
Kling, S. M. R., Roe, L. S., Keller, K. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2016). Double trouble: Portion size and energy density combine to increase preschool children’s lunch intake. Physiology and Behavior, 162, 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.019.
Kral, T. V. E., & Hetherington, M. M. (2015). Variability in children’s eating response to portion size. A biobehavioral perspective. Appetite, 88, 5–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2014.10.001.
Kral, T. V. E., & Rolls, B. J. (2004). Energy density and portion size: Their independent and combined effects on energy intake. Physiology and Behavior, 82(1), 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.04.063.
Kral, T. V. E., & Rolls, B. J. (2011). Portion size and the obesity epidemic. In J. Cawley (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of the social science of obesity – the causes and correlates of diet, physical activity, and obesity (pp. 367–384). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kral, T. V. E., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2004). Combined effects of energy density and portion size on energy intake in women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79(6), 962–968. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/79.6.962.
Kral, T. V. E., Kabay, A. C., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2010). Effects of doubling the portion size of fruit and vegetable side dishes on children’s intake at a meal. Obesity, 18(3), 521–527. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.243.
Krop, E. M., Hetherington, M. M., Nekitsing, C., Miquel, S., Postelnicu, L., & Sarkar, A. (2018). Influence of oral processing on appetite and food intake – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite, 125, 253–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.01.018.
Leahy, K. E., Birch, L. L., Fisher, J. O., & Rolls, B. J. (2008a). Reductions in entrée energy density increase children’s vegetable intake and reduce energy intake. Obesity, 16(7), 1559–1565. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.257.
Leahy, K. E., Birch, L. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2008b). Reducing the energy density of an Entrée decreases children’s energy intake at lunch. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2007.10.015.
Leahy, K. E., Birch, L. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2008c). Reducing the energy density of multiple meals decreases the energy intake of preschool-age children. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(6), 1459–1468. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2008.26522.1.
Ledikwe, J. H., Ello-Martin, J. A., & Rolls, B. J. (2005). Portion sizes and the obesity epidemic. The Journal of Nutrition, 135(4), 905–909. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/135.4.905.
Levitsky, D. A., & Youn, T. (2004). The more food Young adults are served, the more they overeat. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(10), 2546–2549. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.10.2546.
Levitsky, D. A., Sewall, A., Zhong, Y., Barre, L., Shoen, S., Agaronnik, N., … Pacanowski, C. (2019). Quantifying the imprecision of energy intake of humans to compensate for imposed energetic errors: A challenge to the physiological control of human food intake. Appetite, 133, 337–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2018.11.017.
Libotte, E., Siegrist, M., & Bucher, T. (2014). The influence of plate size on meal composition. Literature review and experiment. Appetite, 82, 91–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.010.
Livingstone, M. B. E., & Pourshahidi, L. K. (2014). Portion size and obesity. Advances in Nutrition, 5(6), 829–834. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.114.007104.
Marteau, T. M., Hollands, G. J., Shemilt, I., & Jebb, S. A. (2015). Downsizing: Policy options to reduce portion sizes to help tackle obesity. BMJ, 351, h5863. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h5863.
Mathias, K. C., Rolls, B. J., Birch, L. L., Kral, T. V. E., Hanna, E. L., Davey, A., & Fisher, J. O. (2012). Serving larger portions of fruits and vegetables together at dinner promotes intake of both foods among young children. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 112(2), 266–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2011.08.040.
McCrickerd, K., Leong, C., & Forde, C. G. (2017a). Preschool children’s sensitivity to teacher-served portion size is linked to age related differences in leftovers. Appetite, 114, 320–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2017.04.003.
McCrickerd, K., Lim, C. M., Leong, C., Chia, E. M., & Forde, C. G. (2017b). Texture-based differences in eating rate reduce the impact of increased energy density and large portions on meal size in adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 147(6), 1208–1217. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.116.244251.
Meiselman, H. L. (1996). The contextual basis for food acceptance, food choice and food intake: The food, the situation and the individual. In Food choice, acceptance and consumption (pp. 239–263). Boston: Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1221-5_6
Meiselman, H. L., & Kramer, F. M. (1994). The role of context in behavioral effects of foods. In B. M. Marriott (Ed.), Food components to enhance performance: An evaluation of potential performance-enhancing food components for operational rations. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209036/.
Mooreville, M., Davey, A., Orloski, A., Hannah, E. L., Mathias, K. C., Birch, L. L., … Fisher, J. O. (2015). Individual differences in susceptibility to large portion sizes among obese and normal-weight children. Obesity, 23(4), 808–814. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21014.
Myers, K. P., Brunstrom, J. M., Rogers, P. J., & Holtzman, J. D. (2019). Portion size influences intake in Samburu Kenyan people not exposed to the Western obesogenic environment. Appetite, 133, 212–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.11.007.
NHLBI. (2013). Serving sizes and portions. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/distortion.htm
NHMRC. (2017). Australian guide to healthy eating. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating
NHS. (2016). The eatwell guide. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/
NIDDK. (2016). Just enough for you: About food portions. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/just-enough-food-portions
Nielsen, S. J., & Popkin, B. M. (2003). Patterns and trends in food portion sizes, 1977-1998. JAMA, 289(4), 450–453. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12533124.
Nisbett, R. E. (1968). Determinants of food intake in obesity. Science, 159(3820), 1254–1255. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/5711760.
Pedersen, S. D., Kang, J., & Kline, G. A. (2007). Portion control plate for weight loss in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167(12), 1277. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.167.12.1277.
Poelman, M. P., de Vet, E., Velema, E., de Boer, M. R., Seidell, J. C., & Steenhuis, I. H. M. (2015). PortionControl@HOME: Results of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a multi-component portion size intervention on portion control behavior and body mass index. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(1), 18–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-014-9637-4.
Pomeranz, J. L., & Miller, D. P. (2015). Policies to promote healthy portion sizes for children. Appetite, 88, 50–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.12.003.
Pudel, V. E., & Oetting, M. (1977). Eating in the laboratory: Behavioural aspects of the positive energy balance. International Journal of Obesity, 1(4), 369–386. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/617114.
Raynor, H. A. (2014). What to do about portion sizes? Roundtable discussion at the forefronts in portion size conference. International Journal of Obesity, 38(Suppl 1), S34–S36. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.87.
Raynor, H. A., & Champagne, C. M. (2016). Position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics: Interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(1), 129–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.10.031.
Raynor, H. A., & Wing, R. R. (2007). Package unit size and amount of food: Do both influence intake? Obesity, 15(9), 2311–2319. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.274.
Reily, N. M., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). The portion size effect on food intake is robust to contextual size information. Appetite, 105, 439–448. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2016.06.015.
Reinders, M. J., Huitink, M., Dijkstra, S. C., Maaskant, A. J., & Heijnen, J. (2017). Menu-engineering in restaurants – Adapting portion sizes on plates to enhance vegetable consumption: A real-life experiment. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0496-9.
Robinson, E., & Kersbergen, I. (2018). Portion size and later food intake: Evidence on the “normalizing” effect of reducing food portion sizes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 107(4), 640–646. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy013.
Robinson, E., Nolan, S., Tudur-Smith, C., Boyland, E. J., Harrold, J. A., Hardman, C. A., & Halford, J. C. G. (2014). Will smaller plates lead to smaller waists? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect that experimental manipulation of dishware size has on energy consumption. Obesity Reviews, 15(10), 812–821. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12200.
Robinson, E., Oldham, M., Cuckson, I., Brunstrom, J. M., Rogers, P. J., & Hardman, C. A. (2016). Visual exposure to large and small portion sizes and perceptions of portion size normality: Three experimental studies. Appetite, 98, 28–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.12.010.
Rock, C. L., Flatt, S. W., Pakiz, B., Barkai, H.-S., Heath, D. D., & Krumhar, K. C. (2016). Randomized clinical trial of portion-controlled prepackaged foods to promote weight loss. Obesity, 24(6), 1230–1237. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21481.
Roe, L. S., Kling, S. M. R., & Rolls, B. J. (2016). What is eaten when all of the foods at a meal are served in large portions? Appetite, 99, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.01.001.
Rolls, B. J. (1986). Sensory-specific satiety. Nutrition Reviews, 44(3), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.1986.tb07593.x.
Rolls, B. J. (2003). The supersizing of America: Portion size and the obesity epidemic. Nutrition Today, 38(2), 42–53. https://doi.org/10.1097/00017285-200303000-00004.
Rolls, B. J. (2009). The relationship between dietary energy density and energy intake. Physiology and Behavior, 97(5), 609–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.03.011.
Rolls, B. J. (2010). Plenary lecture 1: Dietary strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 69(1), 70–79. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665109991674.
Rolls, B. J. (2014). What is the role of portion control in weight management? International Journal of Obesity, 38(Suppl 1), S1–S8. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.82.
Rolls, B. J. (2017). Dietary energy density: Applying behavioural science to weight management. Nutrition Bulletin, 42(3), 246–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12280.
Rolls, B. J., & Leahy, K. E. (2010). Reductions in dietary energy density to moderate children’s energy intake. In L. Dube, A. Bechara, A. Dagher, A. Drewnowski, J. Lebel, P. James, et al. (Eds.), Obesity prevention: The role of brain and society on individual behavior (pp. 544–554). London: Academic.
Rolls, B. J., Rowe, E. A., Rolls, E. T., Kingston, B., Megson, A., & Gunary, R. (1981). Variety in a meal enhances food intake in man. Physiology and Behavior, 26(2), 215–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(81)90014-7.
Rolls, B. J., Engell, D., & Birch, L. L. (2000). Serving portion size influences 5-year-old but not 3-year-old children’s intake. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 100(2), 232–234.
Rolls, B. J., Morris, E. L., & Roe, L. S. (2002). Portion size of food affects energy intake in normal-weight and overweight men and women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(6), 1207–1213. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/76.6.1207.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., Kral, T. V. E., Meengs, J. S., & Wall, D. E. (2004a). Increasing the portion size of a packaged snack increases energy intake in men and women. Appetite, 42(1), 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-6663(03)00117-X.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., Meengs, J. S., & Wall, D. E. (2004b). Increasing the portion size of a sandwich increases energy intake. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 104(3), 367–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2003.12.013.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., & Meengs, J. S. (2006a). Larger portion sizes lead to a sustained increase in energy intake over 2 days. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106(4), 543–549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2006.01.014.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., & Meengs, J. S. (2006b). Reductions in portion size and energy density of foods are additive and lead to sustained decreases in energy intake. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0084-3741(08)70084-2.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., & Meengs, J. S. (2007). The effect of large portion sizes on energy intake is sustained for 11 days. Obesity, 15(6), 1535–1543. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.182.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., & Meengs, J. S. (2010). Portion size can be used strategically to increase vegetable consumption in adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(4), 913–922. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28801.
Rolls, B. J., Meengs, J. S., & Roe, L. S. (2014a). Variations in cereal volume affect the amount selected and eaten for breakfast. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 114(9), 1411–1416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.01.014.
Rolls, B. J., Williams, R. A., & Keller, K. L. (2014b). The role of dietary energy density in weight management. In T. Gill (Ed.), Managing and preventing obesity: Behavioural factors and dietary interventions (pp. 135–148). Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing.
Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., James, B. L., & Sanchez, C. E. (2017). Does the incorporation of portion-control strategies in a behavioral program improve weight loss in a 1-year randomized controlled trial? International Journal of Obesity, 41(3), 434–442. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2016.217.
Siegel, P. S. (1957). The completion compulsion in human eating. Psychological Reports, 3, 15–16.
Slawson, D. L., & Eck, L. H. (1997). Intense practice enhances accuracy of portion size estimation of amorphous foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97(3), 295–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(97)00076-X.
Smethers, A. D., & Rolls, B. J. (2018). Dietary management of obesity: Cornerstones of healthy eating patterns. Medical Clinics of North America, 102(1), 107–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2017.08.009.
Smethers, A. D., Roe, L. S., Sanchez, C. E., Zuraikat, F. M., Keller, K. L., Kling, S. M. R., & Rolls, B. J. (2019a). Portion size has sustained effects over 5 days in preschool children: a randomized trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy383. in press.
Smethers, A. D., Roe, L. S., Sanchez, C. E., Zuraikat, F. M., Keller, K. L., & Rolls, B. J. (2019b). Both increases and decreases in energy density lead to sustained changes in preschool children’s energy intake over 5 days. Physiology & Behavior, 204, 201–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.042.
Spanos, S., Kenda, A. S., & Vartanian, L. R. (2015). Can serving-size labels reduce the portion-size effect? A pilot study. Eating Behaviors, 16, 40–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.10.007.
Spence, M., Lähteenmäki, L., Stefan, V., Livingstone, M. B. E., Gibney, E. R., & Dean, M. (2015). Quantifying consumer portion control practices. A cross-sectional study. Appetite, 92, 240–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.05.035.
Spill, M. K., Birch, L. L., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2010). Eating vegetables first: The use of portion size to increase vegetable intake in preschool children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(5), 1237–1243. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.29139.
Spill, M. K., Birch, L. L., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2011a). Serving large portions of vegetable soup at the start of a meal affected children’s energy and vegetable intake. Appetite, 57(1), 213–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.04.024.
Spill, M. K., Birch, L. L., Roe, L. S., & Rolls, B. J. (2011b). Hiding vegetables to reduce energy density: An effective strategy to increase children’s vegetable intake and reduce energy intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(3), 735–741. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.015206.
Steenhuis, I., & Poelman, M. (2017). Portion size: Latest developments and interventions. Current Obesity Reports, 6(1), 10–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0239-x.
Steenhuis, I. H. M., & Vermeer, W. M. (2009). Portion size: Review and framework for interventions. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 6(1), 58. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-6-58.
Steenhuis, I. H. M., Leeuwis, F. H., & Vermeer, W. M. (2010). Small, medium, large or supersize: Trends in food portion sizes in The Netherlands. Public Health Nutrition, 13(06), 852–857. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980009992011.
USDA. (2018a). Everything you eat and drink matters – focus on variety, amount and nutrition. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/amount.
USDA. (2018b). ChooseMyPlate.Gov. Retrieved November 20, 2018, from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/.
Vasiljevic, M., Cartwright, E., Pilling, M., Lee, M.-M., Bignardi, G., Pechey, R., … Marteau, T. M. (2018). Impact of calorie labelling in worksite cafeterias: A stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0671-7.
Vermeer, W. M., Alting, E., Steenhuis, I. H. M., & Seidell, J. C. (2010a). Value for money or making the healthy choice: The impact of proportional pricing on consumers’ portion size choices. European Journal of Public Health, 20(1), 65–69. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckp092.
Vermeer, W. M., Steenhuis, I. H. M., Leeuwis, F. H., Bos, A. E. R., de Boer, M., & Seidell, J. C. (2010b). Portion size labeling and intended soft drink consumption: The impact of labeling format and size portfolio. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 42(6), 422–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2010.02.002.
Vermeer, W. M., Steenhuis, I. H. M., Leeuwis, F. H., Heymans, M. W., & Seidell, J. C. (2011). Small portion sizes in worksite cafeterias: Do they help consumers to reduce their food intake? International Journal of Obesity, 35(9), 1200–1207. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.271.
Vermeer, W. M., Steenhuis, I. H. M., & Poelman, M. P. (2014). Small, medium, large or supersize? The development and evaluation of interventions targeted at portion size. International Journal of Obesity, 38(Suppl 1(Suppl 1)), S13–S18. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.84.
Wansink, B. (2004). Environmental factors that increase the food intake and consumption volume of unknowing consumers. Annual Review of Nutrition, 24(1), 455–479. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nutr.24.012003.132140.
Wansink, B., & van Ittersum, K. (2013). Portion size me: Plate-size induced consumption norms and win-win solutions for reducing food intake and waste. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 19(4), 320–332. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035053.
Wardle, J., Guthrie, C. A., Sanderson, S., & Rapoport, L. (2001). Development of the children’s eating behaviour questionnaire. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 42(7), 963–970. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11693591.
WHO. (2018). Healthy diet. Retrieved December 24, 2018, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet.
Wing, R. R. (1997). Food provision in dietary intervention studies. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66(2), 421–422. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/66.2.421.
Wing, R. R., & Jeffery, R. W. (2001). Food provision as a strategy to promote weight loss. Obesity, 9(S11), 271S–275S. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2001.130.
Wrieden, W., Gregor, A., & Barton, K. (2008). Have food portion sizes increased in the UK over the last 20 years? Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 67(OCE), E211. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665108008434.
Young, L. R., & Nestle, M. (2002). The contribution of expanding portion sizes to the US obesity epidemic. American Journal of Public Health, 92(2), 246–249. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11818300.
Young, L. R., & Nestle, M. (2012). Reducing portion sizes to prevent obesity: A call to action. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.07.024.
Zlatevska, N., Dubelaar, C., & Holden, S. S. (2014). Sizing up the effect of portion size on consumption: A Meta-analytic review. Journal of Marketing, 78(3), 140–154. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.12.0303.
Zuraikat, F. M., Roe, L. S., Privitera, G. J., & Rolls, B. J. (2016). Increasing the size of portion options affects intake but not portion selection at a meal. Appetite, 98, 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.12.023.
Zuraikat, F. M., Roe, L. S., Sanchez, C. E., & Rolls, B. J. (2018a). Comparing the portion size effect in women with and without extended training in portion control: A follow-up to the portion-control strategies trial. Appetite, 123, 334–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2018.01.012.
Zuraikat, F. M., Roe, L. S., Smethers, A. D., Reihart, L. W., & Rolls, B. J. (2018b). Does the cost of a meal influence the portion size effect? Appetite, 127, 341–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.05.020.
Zuraikat, F. M., Roe, L. S., Smethers, A. D., & Rolls, B. J. (2018c). Doggy bags and downsizing: Packaging uneaten food to go after a meal attenuates the portion size effect in women. Appetite, 129, 162–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.07.009.
Zuraikat, F. M., Smethers, A. D., & Rolls, B. J. (2019). Potential moderators of the portion size effect. Physiology & Behavior, 204, 191–198.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [grant numbers R01-DK059853 and R01-DK082580] and the USDA [National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grant 2011-67001-30117 Program A2121-Childhood Obesity Prevention: Transdisciplinary Graduate Education and Training in Nutrition and Family Sciences].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Zuraikat, F.M., Smethers, A.D., Rolls, B.J. (2020). The Influence of Portion Size on Eating and Drinking. In: Meiselman, H. (eds) Handbook of Eating and Drinking. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14504-0_129
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14504-0_129
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-14503-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-14504-0
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences