January 24/Medill School of Northwestern University/Chicago -- New research suggests color -- the color of the plate and even the color of the tablecloth -- affects how much people serve themselves. It is difficult for people to visualize what a serving size looks like, said Debbi Beauvais, a nutritionist and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “Size of plate definitely plays into portion size.”
Part of the problem is the average size of a dinner plate has increased 30% since the 1960s, according to Brian Wansink, a professor of applied economics and management, and director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab.