Out of the lab and into the wild: The influence of portion size on food intake in laboratory vs. real-world settings

External influences on eating behaviour, such as portion size, have been reliably shown to influence food intake in the laboratory. However, little research has examined whether laboratory settings under or overestimate the effect that external influences have on food intake compared to when studied in the real-world. In Study 1, 60 participants (mean age = 32 years) were randomized to consume a large (200 g) or small (100 g) portion of popcorn under controlled laboratory conditions and during a separate session in their home. Results showed that the effect of portion size on food intake was larger at home (d = 0.97) than in the laboratory (d = 0.56). Furthermore, participants reported feeling more relaxed eating at home compared to the laboratory. In Study 2, we examined whether comparable results were observed in a semi-naturalistic laboratory designed to resemble a home setting. 59 participants (mean age = 28 years) completed the same procedure as Study 1 in a standard and a semi-naturalistic laboratory setting. Although participants reported having higher levels of private selfawareness in the standard laboratory, the effect that portion size had on food intake did not differ between the standard laboratory (d = 0.50) and the semi-naturalistic laboratory (d = 0.49). The impact that external influences on eating, such as portion size, have on food intake in the real-world may be underestimated when studied under laboratory conditions.

Automated summary

External influences on eating behavior, such as portion size, may have a greater impact on food intake in a real-world setting compared to a laboratory setting. Participants in their own homes experienced a larger effect of portion size on food intake and reported feeling more relaxed compared to consuming food in a laboratory. However, when comparing a semi-naturalistic laboratory setting to a standard laboratory setting, the effect of portion size on food intake did not differ significantly.