Eating behaviour is influenced by both cognitions and triggers in the environment. The potential difference between a 'snack' and a 'meal' illustrates these factors and the way in which they interact, particularly in terms of the label used to describe food and the way it is presented. To date no research has specifically explored the independent and combined impact of label and presentation on eating behaviour. Using a preload/taste test design this experimental study evaluated the impact of label ('snack' vs. 'meal') and place ('snack' vs. 'meal') of a preload on changes in desire to eat and subsequent food intake. Eighty female participants consumed a pasta preload which labelled as either a 'snack' or a 'meal' and presented as either a 'snack' (standing and eating from a container) or a 'meal' (eating at a table from a plate), generating four conditions. The results showed main effects of label and place with participants consuming significantly more sweet mass (specifically chocolate) at the taste test when the preload had been labelled a 'snack' and more total mass and calories when the preload had been presented as a 'snack'. No label by place interactions were found. The results also showed a combined effect of both label and place with those who had eaten the preload both labelled and presented as a 'snack' consuming significantly more in terms of nearly all measures of food intake than those in the other conditions. To conclude, label and presentation influence subsequent food intake both independently and combined which is pertinent given the increase in 'snacking' in contemporary culture.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 273. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 18 August 2025.
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#158,141
of 32,491,025 outputs
Outputs from Appetite
#92
of 5,423 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#2,776
of 360,521 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Appetite
#1
of 94 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 32,491,025 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 5,423 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 25.7. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 94 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its contemporaries.
