Dinnerware has circles for portion size

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BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Many may have too much on their plate, but a new kind of dinnerware with circles painted for portion size may lead to weight loss, its Colorado creator says.

Sheila Kemper Dietrich of Boulder, Colo., said she researched portion size, plates, glasses and color to create her dinnerware, the Boulder Daily Camera reported.

Dietrich said most people will eat what's put before them.

"It's our DNA," she said. "We're built as hunter gatherers. We're built to gorge. Every meal is our last meal. We have the capacity to eat more than we need."

Dietrich said she created dinnerware to fool Mother Nature by featuring circles of different sizes on the plate -- one for starch, one for vegetables, one for protein and one for sauce -- made to look like part of the plate design and suitable for company.

The circles provide a visual cue for portion sizes recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The serving sizes have a goal of 1,500 calories a day.

Dietrich said she lost 50 pounds using the dinnerware.

The dinnerware is done in gray and slate green or shades of blue, cream and plum because studies show it's the warm colors of red and yellow that stimulate appetite, Dietrich said. Soon stemware will be available with circles etched into the design indicating 4- and 6-ounce portions, Dietrich said.

A four-piece set retails for $49.95 at livligahome.com.