The 100‐Calorie Semi‐Solution: Sub‐Packaging Most Reduces Intake Among The Heaviest

This study addresses two questions about sub‐packaging: (i) Do 100‐calorie packages reduce the calorie intake of overweight individuals differently than normal‐weight individuals? (ii) Do they enable individuals to accurately track intake? Thirty‐seven undergraduates were randomly given either four...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2011-05, Vol.19 (5), p.1098-1100
Main Authors: Wansink, Brian, Payne, Collin R., Shimizu, Mitsuru
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Energy Intake
Feeding Behavior
Female
Food Packaging
Humans
Male
Obesity - therapy
Overweight - therapy
Students
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Summary:This study addresses two questions about sub‐packaging: (i) Do 100‐calorie packages reduce the calorie intake of overweight individuals differently than normal‐weight individuals? (ii) Do they enable individuals to accurately track intake? Thirty‐seven undergraduates were randomly given either four 100‐calorie packages of crackers or one 400‐calorie package of crackers to eat while watching television. The average participant ate 25.2% (75.1 calories) less when given four 100‐calorie packages of crackers than when given one 400‐calorie package (P = 0.006). In addition, much of this influence was driven by overweight participants whose intake decreased by 54.1%. However, all of the participants underestimated their consumption by 60% or more, indicating that sub‐packaging does not appear to increase one's accuracy in estimating how much is consumed. Smaller sized sub‐packaging most greatly benefits those who are overweight, yet it does so without making people more aware of how much they have eaten.
ISSN:1930-7381
1930-739X
DOI:10.1038/oby.2010.306