A study by researchers at Cornell University suggests that people may try using smaller sized bowls, plates and spoons in order to curb the amount of food eaten. Investigators based their research on previous studies which have shown that teenagers poured 77 percent less juice into narrow and tall glasses compared with short and wide glasses. Similarly, bartenders were found to pour less liquor into "highball" glasses then into tumblers.

Dr. Brian Wansink and colleagues conducted a study of 85 nutrition experts, including faculty, staff, and graduate students, from a large midwestern university, who attended an ice cream social.

The participants were randomly given a 17 ounce or 34 ounce bowl along with a 2 ounce or 3 ounce ice cream scoop and allowed to serve themselves ice cream.

Researchers found that participants who received the larger bowls unknowingly served themselves 31 percent more ice cream than did those with smaller bowls.

Serving size also increased 14.5 percent among those who served themselves with larger serving spoons, regardless of the size of the bowl. And nearly all of the adults (82 of 85) ate all of their ice cream.

Combined, participants with large bowls and large serving spoons served nearly 57 percent more ice cream than those with smaller bowls and spoons, researchers report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

"What is critical to note, however, is that people -- even these nutrition experts -- are generally unaware of having served themselves more," write the authors.

"The fact that even they end up being tripped up by these cues just helps to show how ubiquitous and how subversive these illusions can be," Wansink said in a statement.

Based on the findings researchers conclude that "obese patients may want to use smaller bowls and spoons at home to reduce over-consumption," and undernourished and aged on the other hand should be encouraged to use larger bowls and spoons.