Importance of Food Presentation

Paper Review: Eaters in the Dark: The Primacy of Cognitive Factors for Food Consumption and Satiety

Another study which underlines the importance of cognitive factors was prepared by Mr. Scheibehenne and Mr. Todd from Indiana University Cognitive Science Program. Research results shows that the visual cues are completely dependent on the amount of food consumed. In the “Eaters in the Dark: The Primacy of Cognitive Factors for Food Consumption and Satiety” journal it is easy to understand that people consume much more amount of food and dessert in the dark dining conditions. In the research it is seen that internal signals effect our approach to eat our meal.

Now, the resources such as the total amount of agricultural area are much more limited than the situation before. Due to the reason it is important to teach people the amount of food they should consume. People are unaware about the optimal point of satiety. Larger portion sizes led to more consumption. Due to the reason we should pay attention to this issue.

Because most of the people do not feel full before they finish the entire portion and this issue manipulated by the larger portion sizes. Because in the research it is mentioned that, larger portion sizes only increase the consumption, portion sizes don’t have any effect on the sense of satiety.

In fact, in the journal about increasing the portion sizes and its relation with energy intake, Wansink, Painter and North (2006) mention that, we manipulate our feelings by excessive portion sizes and this results more consumption in the further intake.

For example, when eating in a group, people adjust their consumption to how others at the table eat. This sets an implicit consumption norm.

In order to prove this claim, researchers made another experiment. They prepared a soup in a bowl which is refilled through hidden tube in the bottom. Participants, who eat this bottomless bowls, consume %73 more calories than a control group eating soup from a regular bowl. That shows; the importance of cognitive factors, especially the visual factors in food consumption.

Due to these reasons, people should start to use their visual properties to count the calorie amounts of their dishes; it is healthier for them.

In order to experiment the difference of visual factors in food consumption, researchers made an experimental study in order to judge the consumers satiety in the “dark” and “light” conditions.

It was seen that eating in the dark room conditions takes about 45-60 minutes but eating in the light, clear room conditions takes about 30-40 minutes.

It is also seen that the total food consumed in the dark was much higher than the food consumed in bright conditions.

So we understand that, food consumption and satiety is controlled by cognitive factors which rely on visual cues.

These results also supports the powerful effects of manipulating visual cues.

Reference: http://csjarchive.cogsci.rpi.edu/proceedings/2009/papers/499/paper499.pdf