Downsizing food: a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of reducing served food portion sizes on daily energy intake and body weight

Abstract

Portion sizes of many foods have increased over time. However, the size of effect that reducing food portion sizes has on daily energy intake and body weight is less clear. We used a systematic review methodology to identify eligible articles that used an experimental design to manipulate portion size served to human participants and measured energy intake for a minimum of 1 d. Searches were conducted in September 2020 and again in October 2021. Fourteen eligible studies contributing eighty-five effects were included in the primary meta-analysis. There was a moderate-to-large reduction in daily energy intake when comparing smaller v. larger portions (Standardised Mean Difference (SMD) = -0·709 (95 % CI: -0·956, -0·461), approximately 235 kcal (983·24 kJ)). Larger reductions to portion size resulted in larger decreases in daily energy intake. There was evidence of a curvilinear relationship between portion size and daily energy intake; reductions to daily energy intake were markedly smaller when reducing portion size from very large portions. In a subset of studies that measured body weight (four studies contributing five comparisons), being served smaller v. larger portions was associated with less weight gain (0·58 kg). Reducing food portion sizes may be an effective population-level strategy to prevent weight gain.