Koert Van Ittersum Plate Research - December 2011.mov

With the holiday season upon us -- and all the festive food it brings -- people should know that the color contrast between dinnerware and what's placed on top can affect how much we serve ourselves and consume, according a Georgia Tech College of Management researcher.

"Instead of scooping vanilla ice cream into a white bowl, you'd do better by your diet to pick a different color dish," explains Koert van Ittersum, an associate professor of marketing at Georgia Tech, who conducted this research with marketing professor Brian Wansink of Cornell University.

Their study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, sheds light on why people tend to over-serve themselves when given larger plates and bowls.

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Education

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• Koert van Ittersum
• Plate research
• Consumption