Using plate mapping to examine sensitivity to plate size in food portions and meal composition among college students

People eat meals rather than nutrients or food groups. Plate size may influence meal size, meal composition, and food type. To examine effects of plate size on meals, we developed a method we label plate mapping. A quasi-experimental study asked university students to accurately draw what they would like to eat for dinner on either a 9″ or 11″ paper plate. Coding plate drawings for total meal size revealed that students drew an average of 26% more food on larger plates. When plates were coded for meal composition we found that the biggest three food portions drawn by students were bigger on 11″ plates, with 70% of the overall difference in food area occurring in the biggest food. Participants drew bigger portions of vegetables on larger plates, while other food types showed little change in mean size. Gender moderated plate sensitivity for food types: women drew 36% bigger vegetable portions than men on larger plates. Smaller plates may lead to smaller meal sizes, but plate size may differentially influence composition of meals for men and women. These findings suggest plate mapping can be used to reflect meal conceptualizations and assess sensitivity to plate size.

► We developed a method that we call plate mapping, where people draw a meal on a plate.
► Plate mapping elicits meal conceptualizations and sensitivity to plate size.
► Meal size sensitivity occurred as people drew bigger meal areas on larger plates.
► Meal composition sensitivity occurred as people drew bigger courses on larger plates.
► Food group sensitivity occurred as women drew more vegetables on larger plates.