A University of Arizona researchers says he has found a way to reduce overeating when dining out.
Marketing professor Martin Reimann said adults and children may choose smaller meal portions if offered a non-edible bonus.
Reimann and his colleagues from the University of Southern California conducted a series of experiments to test the theory. The results were published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
The researchers modeled the tests after McDonald's Happy Meals, which offers kids a toy along with their fast food. The researchers demonstrated that just the chance of winning a gift card or frequent-flyer miles was enough for adults to choose smaller meal portions.
They concluded that adults opting for fewer calories don’t eat more food later or the next day to make up the calories.
In one anomaly, children who were asked to choose between pictures of a full-sized portion or a half-portion plus a toy chose the smaller size, except when the foods were chicken nuggets or cookies. The researchers concluded those foods have high sugar content, when factoring in sweet dipping sauces that accompany the chicken.