Opting for a high-calorie dessert first might surprisingly encourage healthier choices overall—unless you're distracted. New research from a real-world cafeteria experiment reveals key insights into decision-making around food.
Researchers positioned either fresh fruit or lemon cheesecake at the start or end of a college cafeteria line. Diners who selected the cheesecake upfront then chose lower-calorie mains and sides, consuming fewer total calories than those starting with fruit. This effect vanished when desserts were at the line's end.
Three online experiments simulating food delivery sites echoed these results, except under high distraction. When participants juggled heavy mental loads, picking dessert first led to more indulgent mains and sides.
In the cafeteria study over four days, 134 diners were interviewed post-line on healthy eating habits. Choices were discreetly noted, and post-meal leftovers measured calories. With fixed pricing, cost wasn't a factor. Healthy options included grilled chicken fajitas and salads; indulgent ones like fried fish and chips.
Diners starting with cheesecake ate 30% fewer calories overall (dessert included) and were twice as likely to pick lighter mains compared to end-of-line cheesecake choosers.
Findings held after controlling for age, gender, BMI, diet, exercise, and health attitudes. Age amplified effects, with participants ranging 18-60 (average 32), including staff.
A study of 180 online participants showed similar patterns when healthy vs. indulgent mains appeared first on menus.
In a final experiment with 296 participants, cognitive load was tested: low-load (two-digit recall) mirrored prior results, while high-load (seven-digit) reversed them—leading to low-calorie mains/sides after indulgent desserts.
