If you’re still struggling to fit into a swimsuit, using smaller plate size to eat less and shed some weight is not going to help, according to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers.
According to the study, published in the journal Appetite, the Delbouef illusion, which posits that people will identify sizes, such as food portions, differently depending on the size of their receptacle does not apply to hungry people.
When food-deprived test subjects were given different-sized plates, they ultimately identified the same portion of pizza, debunking a theory that choosing a smaller-size plate may trick the mind into believing that the amount of food on it is more ample than it would seem on a larger plate.
However, the illusion held strong regarding other objects in the study, with test groups showing inaccuracies as the size of black circles and hub caps were placed in unequally sized circles.
Researchers said this shows that the body’s urge to survive allows the brain to engage in superior analytical skills in order to protect from starvation.
