Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Current food environments are characterized by larger food portions, which contribute to higher food consumption. Thus, habitually finishing meals by eating the entire portion (so-called plate clearing or plate cleaning) may lead to weight gain. However, findings have been mixed: some studies reported small, positive associations between self-reported plate clearing tendencies and body mass index, but other studies did not find a relationship or even reported a negative association. Methods: The current study performed a meta-analysis on the correlation between plate clearing tendencies and body mass index. Results: = 0.04 (95% CI [-0.02, 0.10]), indicating no relationship between plate clearing and body mass index. A meta-regression indicated that the percentage of women as well as the type of self-report measure moderated the effect, suggesting that there might be a small, positive relationship between plate clearing and body mass index in men and when the Plate Clearing Tendency Scale was used. Conclusion: This meta-analysis does not indicate that habitual plate clearing relates to a higher body weight in general. While self-report biases cannot be excluded based on the current study, the absence of an observed association highlights the need for further exploration into why this relationship is not evident.
Source: Obesity Science & Practice
DOI: 10.1002/osp4.70118
Authors: Adrian Meule, Lisa Dietlmeier, David R. Kolar
Institution: University of Regensburg
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,260
OpenAlex ID: W7124911036