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Impact of glass shape on time taken to drink a soft drink: A laboratory-based experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Tess Langfield
  • Rachel Pechey
  • Mark Pilling
  • Theresa M Marteau

Abstract

Background: Glassware design may affect drinking behaviour for alcoholic beverages, with glass shape and size influencing drinking speed and amount consumed. Uncertainty remains both about the extent to which these effects are restricted to alcohol and the underlying mechanisms. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effect of differently shaped glasses on time taken to drink a soft drink. The secondary aim was to develop hypotheses about mechanisms concerning micro-drinking behaviours and perceptual effects. Method: In a single-session experiment, 162 participants were randomised to receive 330ml of carbonated apple juice in a glass that was either inward-sloped, straight-sided, or outward-sloped. The primary outcome measure was total drinking time. Secondary outcome measures included micro-drinking behaviours (sip size, sip duration, interval duration), and perceptual measures (midpoint bias, drink enjoyment). Results: Participants drank 21.4% faster from the outward-sloped glass than from the straight-sided glass [95%CI: 0.2%,38.0%] in adjusted models. They were also 18.2% faster from the inward-sloped glass than the straight-sided glass, but this did not reach statistical significance with wide confidence intervals also consistent with slower drinking [95%CI: -3.8%,35.6%]. Larger sips were associated with faster drinking times (Pearson’s r(162) = -.45, p

Suggested Citation

  • Tess Langfield & Rachel Pechey & Mark Pilling & Theresa M Marteau, 2018. "Impact of glass shape on time taken to drink a soft drink: A laboratory-based experiment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0202793
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202793
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gareth J. Hollands & Giacomo Bignardi & Marie Johnston & Michael P. Kelly & David Ogilvie & Mark Petticrew & Andrew Prestwich & Ian Shemilt & Stephen Sutton & Theresa M. Marteau, 2017. "The TIPPME intervention typology for changing environments to change behaviour," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(8), pages 1-9, August.
    2. Paul Rozin & Sydney Scott & Megan Dingley & Joanna K. Urbanek & Hong Jiang & Mark Kaltenbach, 2011. "Nudge to nobesity I: Minor changes in accessibility decrease food intake," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 6(4), pages 323-332, June.
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