Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Very small but cumulated decreases in food intake may be sufficient to erase obesity over a period of years. We examine the effect of slight changes in the accessibility of different foods in a pay-by-weight-of-food salad bar in a cafeteria serving adults for the lunch period. Making a food slightly more difficult to reach (by varying its proximity by about 10 inches) or changing the serving utensil (spoon or tongs) modestly but reliably reduces intake, in the range of 8–16%. Given this effect, it is possible that making calorie-dense foods less accessible and low-calorie foods more accessible over an extended period of time would result in significant weight loss.
Source: Judgment and Decision Making
Authors: Paul Rozin, Sydney Scott, Megan Dingley, Joanna K. Urbanek, Hong Jiang, Mark Kaltenbach
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Language: English
Subfield: General Decision Sciences
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Aramark
OpenAlex ID: W2114135000