Bigger Dishware May Cause Children to Overeat [VIDEO]

Dish size matter when it comes to portion control, according to a study that found that bigger bowl sizes increase how much cereal kids request.

Researchers from Cornell University served 69 preschoolers a sugary cereal in either 8 ounce or 16 ounce bowls. Adults then poured the cereal and milk in small increments, each time asking if that was enough, or if the child wanted more until he or she told them to stop.

Regardless of body mass index, age or gender, the participants requested 87 percent more cereal when using the bigger bowl.

While no consumption was allowed in this study, the researchers looked at 18 kids between 6 and 10 years old in order to find out whether kids will actually consume more when given a bigger dish.

Once again, adults served the milk and cereal until the child indicated it was enough. This time, however, the researchers embedded secret scales within the tables in order to determine how much in terms of weight the participants ate.

In all, the kids requested 69 percent more cereal and milk when using the larger bowls, and consumed 52 percent more. They also wasted an average of 14 percent more of their food.

Given the fact that 78 percent of the kids in the study said they typically used the same size bowl as their parents, the researchers hypothesized that many of the children are overeating at home.

While obesity is a complex issue, the study's authors suggest that having separate, smaller dishware for children could be a simple way to reduce kids' caloric.