EDMONTON — Treats packaged in Halloween-sized mini portions trick people into eating far more chocolate and candy than they otherwise would, researchers from the University of Alberta and University of British Columbia have found.
What’s worse is that participants in Jennifer Argo and Katherine White's study who were worried about their weight or appearance consumed even more of the sugary snacks, Argo, a U of A marketing professor said on Sunday.
“Often they’re dieters or restrained eaters, and they ate the most,” Argo said. “So the people for whom these packages are often targeted — like the 100-calorie packs — are actually eating the most.”
Argo and her study co-author, White from UBC, spent about three years and lots of money on candy looking at hundreds of participants for the research to be published next year in The Journal of Marketing. Argo and White wanted to see how much chocolate and candy people consumed when it was in small packages versus regular-sized or when unpackaged treats sat loose in a bowl.
“What we find, in a nutshell, is that when products are put in small packages and you have lots of small packages available, people eat significantly more than if the packages are regular-sized and you had multiples,” she said.
“It depended on what sort of combination we had, but it would be almost about a 50 per cent increase. It’s huge actually.”
Test subjects seemed to surrender their efforts at portion control to the little packets, relying on the wrapper to limit their junk-food intake, Argo said. Low-calorie labels boosted consumption even more, she said.
“If you have a small package and the caloric information is on the front, the effects get worse as compared to if the caloric information is on the back or not presented. If the caloric information says it’s low-calorie — so it does emphasize it’s only 50 calories or 100 calories — the effects are also even worse. So those 100-calorie packs are really, really harmful to the consumers they’re supposed to be helping,” Argo said.
“Consumer are consciously, actually saying to themselves, ‘These small packages are going to help me, and because they’re going to help me, I don’t have to worry.’ So they give up control for regulating their portions to the packages, and that’s where the problems arise.”
It’s timely research as Halloween trick-or-treaters take to the streets Monday and parents sample the leftovers.
“Once you relinquish control . . . it’s very, very, very hard to regain it again,” Argo warned. “As soon as you give it up to one, you’re done.”
A small packaged treat by itself is fine. It was when study participants had many small packs to pick from that their appetite spiked.
“So put one out and put the rest away, so they’re not easily accessible,” said Argo, who has refrained from opening her own stash of Halloween candy.
“If you have a bowl and they’re sitting in front of you and you say, ‘Oh, I’ll just have one,’ you probably won’t.”
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- Peanut and Peanut Butter CandiesPay Day - Snack size (19 g) - 90 calories and 10 g carbReese's Peanut Butter Cups· Miniature (about 9 grams each) - 44 calories· Snack size (17 g) - 88· Snack size (21 g) - 100 calories· White, Snack size (21 g) - 100 caloriesReese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins (34 g) - 180 caloriesReese's Crispy Crunchy Bar, Snack size (17 g) - 95 caloriesReese's Nutrageous Bars, Snack size (17 g) - 88 caloriesReese's Whipps Bar, Snack size (14 g) - 60 caloriesMixed
Candy Bars 100 Grand Bars· Fun size (11 g) - 50 calories· Fun size (21 g) - 95 caloriesAlmond Joy Snack size (15 g) - 80 caloriesBaby Ruth Bar Butterfinger Bar, Fun size (18 g each) - 85 caloriesButterfinger Crisp Bar, Snack size (20 g) - 100 caloriesHeath Bar, Snack size (13 g) - 74 caloriesKit Kat, Fun size (14 g) - 73 caloriesMilky Way bar, Fun size (17 g) - 75 caloriesMounds bars, Snack size (17 g) - 83 caloriesRocky Road , Snack size (10 g) - 45 caloriesSnickers Bars, Fun size (17 g) - 80 caloriesSnickers Almond Bars, Fun size (17 g) - 80 caloriesSnickers Creme Pumpkin (1 oz) - 150 caloriesTwix, Snack size (10 g) - 50 caloriesPeanut and Peanut Butter CandiesPay Day - Snack size (19 g) - 90 caloriesReese's Peanut Butter Cups· Miniature (about 9 grams each) - 44 calories· Snack size (17 g) - 88 calories· Snack size (21 g) - 100 calories· White, Snack size (21 g) - 100 caloriesReese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins (34 g) - 180 caloriesReese's Crispy Crunchy Bar, Snack size (17 g) - 95 caloriesReese's Nutrageous Bars, Snack size (17 g) - 88 caloriesReese's Whipps Bar, Snack size (14 g) - 60 caloriesFruity and Gummy CandiesJujyfruits - 9 pieces - 60 caloriesLifesavers Gummies (2 rolls per ounce) - 52 caloriesMini Dots (2 small boxes per ounce) 70 caloriesSkittles· Original Fruit, Fun size (20 g) - 80 calories· Chocolate Assortment, Fun size (20 g) - 80 caloriesStarburst, Fun size (2 pieces per stick) - 40 caloriesTwizzlers· Strawberry Twists, Short (9 g) - 32 calories· Cherry Pull-N-Peel (12 g) - 40 caloriesOther CandiesCandy Corn, Brach's - 11 pieces - 70 caloriesHot Tamales - small pkg (14 g) - 50 caloriesJr. Mints, Fun size (10 g) - 50 caloriesMike and Ike small box (14 g) - 50 caloriesRaisinettes, Fun size (16 g - about 16 pieces) - 56 caloriesSmarties Candy, Roll - 25 caloriesWhoppers· 1 small tube - 30 calories· 1 small pouch (21 g) - 100 caloriesYork · Regular small patty (14 g) - 53 calories· Pink Peppermint Patties, small (14 g) - 53 calories· Peppermint Patty Pumpkins (14 g) - 50 calories
So add up your favorite bars and give yourself a slap of reality! Come on Girl! Just put down the candy!
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.~
I'm trying!!!!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI had an Almond Joy and 2 mini-Snickers after lunch yesterday! I think mini candy has mini calories??? Yes??? :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't given in yet! But I think it helps that my kids are too little to trick or treat, so there is no candy in the house to tempt me!! :)
ReplyDelete