Eating has always been one of the most important aspects of human existence, and certainly plays a huge role in every culture.
There is an emphasis on the way in which food is displayed, and its presentation seems to have an effect on how one may eat.
The certain colors and shapes of plates cause people to react differently regarding how much they eat, according to a study done by Dr. Brian Wansink and Dr. Koert van Ittersum of Cornell University. Students across campus have noticed their eating habits are affected by the size and appearance of the plate they use.
“I put the better dinners I make on white plates and often put smaller portions on those plates rather than my darker plates,” said Lyndsey Jackson, senior healthcare administration major at California Baptist University.
The study done by Wansink and van Ittersum hypothesized that a plate’s physical appearance might influence calorie intake. The study found that kitchen cabinets filled with large plates, bowls and glasses may cause people to over-serve themselves.
A similar study, by Belgian scientist Joseph Delboeuf proposed that the color contrast between food and plates creates an optical illusion. Because of this, one may take in more than he or she realizes.
Lauri Hauck, lecturer of kinesiology at CBU, said that people are eating more because servings today are doubling, tripling, and sometimes even add up to eight times more than they used to be.
The psychological effect of increased food consumption is evident with serving sizes growing larger.
