Consumer laboratory

Obesity can lead to a range of diseases including stroke, heart disease and cancer. To help people maintain a healthy weight, researchers from Bristol previously developed software to visualise portion sizes. They did this because they wanted to quantify the ‘expected satiation’ (anticipated fullness) and ‘expected satiety’ (anticipated relief from hunger) of different foods.

Satiation, or how full we feel, can govern portion size and has been shown to influence our choices even before a meal begins. Researchers showed that both expected satiety and satiation influence meal size. They also confirmed that both are learned and can be manipulated over time. This work led to the development of the ‘Bristol Satiety Toolkit’, a tool now used by the international food industry.

We will use our experience of developing the ‘Bristol Satiety Toolkit’ to pilot a new consumer laboratory aimed at encouraging people to change their food choices in places like cafes. We will test new methods of marketing foods and food placement to encourage the selection of healthier options.