The Effect of Portion Sizes on Mood

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Mood; Eating Patterns
• Interventions: Other: Increase Portion Size; Other: Decrease Portion Size; Other: Control; Other: Mixed Portions

• Registration Number: NCT01725425
• Lead Sponsor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether different portion sizes will effect overall mood.

Detailed Description

The objective of this investigation is to determine whether participants will have a change in mood based on the portion size of foods served. The specific aims of the study are:

1. Determine the effect of increasing portion sizes on mood.

2. Determine the effect of decreasing portion sizes on mood.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-10
• Study First Submitted: 2012-11-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-11-09
• Study First Posted: 2012-11-12
• Primary Completion: 2018-12-31
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-01
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-03
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 25

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18-35
• have a body mass index of 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m^2
• be an unrestrained eater( scoring less than 12 on the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire)
• Report Being a non-smoker

Exclusion Criteria

• currently pregnant or nursing
• report being an athlete in training
• currently taking any medications that affect appetite or food intake
• Have a medical condition affecting eating or are currently following a therapeutic diet
• Report disliking foods used in the investigation
• Report having allergies to foods used in the investigation

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Increase Portion Size	Increase Portion Size	Participants will receive increased portion sizes.
Decrease Portion Sizes	Decrease Portion Size	Participants will receive decreased portion sizes.
Control	Control	Participants will receive equal amounts of foods.
Mixed Portion Sizes	Mixed Portions	Participants will receive mixed portion sizes.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Total grams of snack food consumed	1 year	The snack food consumed in this investigation is Lays Potato Chips (Frito-Lay Inc., Plano, TX). Participants will be provided 50 or 100 grams of this food at all sessions depending on which condition they are randomized into. The chips provided to participants in each condition will be measured in grams to the tenth decimal point on an electronic food scale (Denver Instrument Co., Arvada, CO) before and after the session. The weight of the container will also be measured. Total grams of chips consumed during the session will be determined by subtracting pre- and post-consumption weight of the chips.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Total grams of fruit consumed	1 year	The fruit used in this investigation is red grapes. Participants will be provided 100 grams or 150 grams of red grapes depending on which of the four groups they are participating in. Each individual will go through all four conditions in this investigation. Fruit provided to participants in each condition will be measured in grams to the tenth decimal point on an electronic food scale (Denver Instrument Co., Arvada, CO) before and after the session. The weight of the container will also be measured. Total grams of fruit consumed during the session will be determined by subtracting pre- and post-consumption weight of fruit.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville; 🇺🇸 Knoxville, Tennessee, United States