PORTIONS

One of the problems core topic of obesity lies in eating behavior, in particular habits that lead to excessive energy consumption among which unbalanced portion consumption stands out. Previous programs of study indicate that fixed portion plates may be an acceptable, potentially effective and economical method for weight control however a solid phase of development and programs of study validation is required to optimize their design and corroborate their effectiveness. The main goal of this project is to develop and validate a new portion plate prototype designed for the Spanish population, using official dietary recommendations and the support of a team multidisciplinary plus state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. eyetracking device), to educate and help overweight people to consume balanced portions, in particular of carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables. The phases of project are:

1. design of a fixed-portion plate prototype adapted to the Mediterranean population, on partnership with international dieticians, psychologists and chemical engineers.

2. Validation of the prototype in healthy men and women with and without overweight, comparing the effect to that of a conventional plate.

3. Development and evaluation of a new methodological platform, including the eyetracking device, for the assessment of eating behavior in humans.

Through this project it is hoped to obtain a product capable of educating and helping overweight people to consume balanced portions, which is acceptable, economical and easy to use, for large-scale application (e.g. through the NHS), as a low-cost tool and reducing the time of contact of the health professional with the patient.