The powers of plate size and color

In my last column, I wrote about how calorie needs change with aging and a decrease in appetite caused by many factors is part of the aging process. While there are medications to increase or decrease appetite approved for physician prescription, there are other variables you can adjust at home to change your calorie intake.

The Delbouef Illusion is a visual perception bias that indicates how the size of plates and color contrast between a plate and food can impact serving sizes. In fact, much research has shown that the size of your plate and color contrast between your plate and your food can have a significant impact on portion size.

Dr. Brian Wansink, Ph.D., of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, looks at the psychology behind eating behavior. Working with other researchers, he looks at different factors that play into our eating habits.

To test the Delbouef Illusion, the Food and Brand Lab conducted an experiment in which, among other things, some participants served themselves on smaller dinnerware while others served themselves on larger dinnerware. As well, some participants served themselves food on a plate that was a similar color to the food (pasta with red spaghetti sauce on a red plate) and others served themselves using a plate that was a contrasting color from the food being served (pasta with red spaghetti sauce on a white plate).

The study found that people serve themselves more food when using large dinnerware and dinnerware that is a similar color to the food they’re eating. However, people serve themselves less food when using smaller dinnerware and when their food is a contrasting color to their dinnerware.

As appetite decreases with age, these are tools that you, as a family caregiver, can use with your loved ones to increase their calorie intake. While it can be frustrating to argue with loved ones about eating, using plate size and color contrast is an easy way to “trick” them into increasing or decreasing their calorie intake.

If you’re looking to encourage your loved one to eat more, try having them serve their food on a larger plate or using a plate that is a similar color to the food you’re eating. If you’re trying to decrease calories, try using a smaller plate or a color that will pop against the food you’re having at that meal.

Food doesn’t always have to be a fight. Since lots of what we eat is behavioral, sometimes it’s easier to adjust our behaviors to meet our goals instead of choosing different foods. If you’re interested in reading more about food behaviors, search online for “Food and Brand Lab” to read more and see how you can make small changes for a large impact.

Editor’s note: Sarah Roger is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and incoming second-year medical student at Albany Medical College. She is interning with Community Caregivers this summer and will be writing articles on health and wellness, which are both topics she is passionate about.