'Keep food out of sight' to help fight the flab

BANNING dishes of food from the dinner table can help weight-watching people reduce their intake of calories by a healthy 20 per cent.

According to a team of researchers from Cornell University in the US, eating less can be as simple as leaving serving dishes on the hob and off the table.

The strategy is a classic example of "out of sight, out of mind", reducing diners' temptation to refill their plates.

Researchers led by Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, shared findings of their "Serve Here; Eat There" study of 78 adults.

"We looked at whether serving foods from the kitchen counter, instead of at the table, would reduce the number of times a person refilled his or her plate," Wansink said.

"Quite simply, it is a case of 'out of sight, out of mind'," he said. "When we kept the serving dishes off the table, people ate 20 per cent fewer calories. Men ate close to 29 per cent less."

The same strategy can be used to help increase the consumption of healthier foods, Wansink added.