Abstract
SummaryBackgroundConsumption of large portions of energy‐dense foods promotes weight gain in children. Breakfast cereal boxes often show portions much larger than the recommended serving size.ObjectiveThis experimental study investigated whether front‐of‐package portion size depictions influence children's self‐served portions and consumption.MethodsIn a between‐subjects design, 41 children aged 7‐11 years (M= 9.0 ± 1.5y) served themselves breakfast cereal from a box, the front of which depicted either a recommended serving size of cereal (30g) or a larger, more typical front‐of‐pack portion (90g). Cereal served and consumed and total caloric intake (including milk) was recorded. Height and weight, demographic information and measures of children's food responsiveness and enjoyment of food were collected.ResultsMANOVA revealed that children exposed to the larger portion size served themselves (+7g, 37%) and consumed (+6g, 63%) significantly more cereal than those exposed to the smaller portion. Despite this, overall caloric intake (milk included) did not differ between conditions, and no other measured variables (hunger, BMI) significantly affected the outcomes.ConclusionThis study provides novel evidence of the influence portion‐size depictions on food packaging have on children's eating behaviour. This offers possible avenues for intervention and policy change; however, more research is needed.
Highlights
Across Europe and the United States (US), portion sizes have been increasing in parallel with increases in body weight.[1,2,3,4] This could reflect a number of phenomena, including marketers' responses to customer preferences for larger portions or greater value, and it could be argued that marketers may be shaping these preferences too – leveraging the portion‐size effect in order to increase consumption and further purchasing.[5]A meta‐analytic review found that portion size had a significant effect on consumption.[5]
A significant main effect of condition on the total weight of the meal consumed was found ( F (1,38) = 6.02, P = .019, partial η2 = .14; see Table 3 for means), this main effect disappears when covariates were introduced to the model
The overall model was not influenced by Body Mass Index (BMI) z‐scores, age, sex, pre‐meal ratings of hunger or pre‐meal ratings of expected liking of cereal when these factors were included as covariates (P = .023)
Summary
A meta‐analytic review found that portion size had a significant effect (medium‐sized, d = .45) on consumption.[5] when a portion size was doubled, consumption increased by an average of 35%, across a range of contexts and foods, in both adults and children. Consumption norms (perceptual suggestions of what is appropriate, typical and reasonable to consume) have influence outside of conscious awareness[14] and have been suggested as a driver of this ‘portion size effect’,5 with portion sizes communicating normative information regarding appropriate consumption.[15] perceptions of what constitutes an appropriate portion size have been shown to partially mediate the relationship between portion size and food served,[15] and to predict food consumption.[16]
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