Portion Control: Kids Eat More with Larger Plates

A new study shows that the size of a child's plate may actually affect how much food he or she is consuming.

According to the study, first-graders served themselves more food and ate almost 50 percent more calories when they were given adult-size plates compared with children who were given smaller ones more appropriate for their age.

Similarly, previous studies have shown that children served more food will eat more, and adults will also eat more when given larger dishes.

Children in the study were randomized to use either child-size dishes (9-ounce bowls and plates that were 7.25 inches in diameter) or adult-size dishes (16-ounce bowls and 10.25 inch plates). The kids helped themselves to lunch in a buffet-style line and were served different things on different days, including pasta with meat sauce and chicken nuggets, when available, and fruit and vegetables.

Children using the adult-sized dishes served themselves 90 calories more than those who used the smaller dishes. And, when the children liked the food available that day, those with the larger dishes served themselves 104 more calories.

The researchers also found that when the kids were using the bigger dishes, they ate more, consuming 0.43 extra calories for every extra calorie they put on their plate.

The only food that the kids did not take more of when using the larger dishes was the vegetables.

Children's BMI did not influence whether they took and ate more food when they used the larger dishes. "The effects are not limited to heavier children," according to researchers.

However, using smaller dishware may be a straightforward way to promote age-appropriate portion sizes, they said.

These findings are published this month in the journal Pediatrics, regarding appetite regulation in children.