Kids who use smaller plates to serve themselves food are less likely to become obese.

The finding came from a new study conducted by researchers from Temple University and was published in the journal Pediatrics.

Obesity has been a serious problem in the United States. A previous report published in JAMA indicated that 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 6 children and teens is obese, according to 2009-2010 data, and the prevalence of the condition has not significantly changed.

Therefore, it is important to find out what we can do to prevent it. A study from 2012 suggested that children’s risk of obesity may be reduced if parents take the pressure off their kids to eat. A different study found that longer, more regular sleep may help kids from becoming obese.

The current research found that kids who use larger plates to eat, serve themselves more and consume nearly half of the calories they served, resulting in greater energy intake at mealtimes.

Studies have already shown that children eat more when they are served more, and today, Americans are using larger dishware than they have in previous years.

The authors said:

“Dishware size is thought to influence eating behaviors, but effects on children’s self-served portion sizes and intakes have not been studied.”

Therefore, the researchers set out to determine whether using larger plates and bowls might encourage children to serve themselves more, and as a result, eat more food.

The study consisted of 42 first-grade students who were observed on repeated occasions during lunch at school. The kids served themselves an entree and side dishes using either child- or adult-size dishware.

Observations showed that when the children used adult-size dishware, they served themselves more energy. Energy intake was indirectly encouraged by the adult-size plates, the experts explained.

“We know large portions have a pretty consistent effect in making kids eat more than they would if the portion sizes were smaller,” said Jennifer Orlet Fisher, co-author and an associate professor of public health at Temple University in Philadelphia, according to USA Today.

“It really seems that offering kids smaller plates could actually be potentially helpful in keeping portion size in check and maybe appetite in check,” she added.

Each extra calorie served caused a 0.43-kcal increase in total energy intakes at lunch. Results also showed that when the kids were using larger dishes, they served themselves more fruit but not more vegetables.

Although most of the kids served themselves larger portions of food with the larger dishes, age, child BMI, gender, and weight did not have a notable impact on the results.

The scientists concluded:

“Children served themselves more with larger plates and bowls and consumed nearly 50% of the calories that they served. This provides new evidence that children’s self-served portion sizes are influenced by size-related facets of their eating environments, which, in turn, may influence children’s energy intake.”

Urging parents to use smaller plates and bowls at home can be a successful way to control age-appropriate portion size and intake at mealtime.

Written by Sarah Glynn