Photo Credit: “HAVING A SALAD” by Gigi Bio

Want to lose weight? Switch to a larger fork.

Researchers from the University of Utah gave unknowing restaurant patrons either smaller or larger forks. They found that those who ate with smaller utensils took smaller bites, but ate significantly more.

Using a big fork serves as a visual cue that you are satisfying your hunger. This causes you to eat less than you would if you couldn’t see your progress. Fork size made less of an impact when the portions were smaller.

The author of the study says the researchers were surprised to find that when people receive larger portions, they eat more. But wouldn’t it be counterintuitive to expect the opposite?

America has an obesity epidemic. Poverty and overeating are two major contributors, and the correlation between the two is devastating. Holmes County, Mississippi is the poorest and most obese county in the country. 50 percent of the county lives in poverty, and 40 percent of the population is obese. This is not a coincidence.

Bigger forks aren’t going to solve the obesity problem. Creating dietary guidelines won’t help either. Eating healthier will.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a salad fork and an actual salad and watch the pounds shed.