Do Red Plates Really Help People with Dementia Eat More?

You may have heard that serving meals on red plates can increase food intake for people with dementia. Some caregivers even buy full sets of red dinnerware because of this idea. But does the science back it up? Let’s take a closer look.

‍

Where the Idea Came From

A 2004 study often gets cited: patients with dementia who ate from red plates consumed about 25% more food than those eating from white plates. This study quickly fueled the belief that red plates “stimulate appetite.”

At the same time, many websites claim that red naturally boosts hunger. The food industry certainly leans on that—fast food chains like McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King use red heavily in their logos, packaging, and restaurants. In those contexts, red is thought to grab attention, raise heart rate, and push people toward quick food decisions.

‍

What Other Research Says

The story isn’t so simple. When healthy adults were given snacks like popcorn and chocolate chips on red plates, they actually ate less compared to blue or white plates. Other studies also suggest that red can act as a subtle “stop” signal, triggering avoidance instead of appetite. Cultural conditioning may play a role—red often signals danger or warning.

So why did the red plate study show an increase in food intake for people with dementia?

‍

The Role of Contrast

People living with dementia often experience visual-cognitive changes—difficulty with depth perception, reduced contrast sensitivity, and trouble processing visual information. In this light, the effect isn’t about the color red itself but about contrast.

• High-contrast red plates stood out strongly against food and table surfaces, leading to the 24.6% increase in food intake.
• Low-contrast red plates? No effect.
• High-contrast blue plates? Also increased intake.
• Low-contrast blue plates? No significant change.

In short: it’s the contrast that matters most, not the color.

‍

Practical Takeaways

• Focus on contrast. Choose dinnerware that stands out clearly against both the food and the table surface. Red is a strong option, but blue, yellow, or green can also work depending on the food items
• Use larger plates and bowls. A large, high-contrast plate or bowl may make portions look smaller, which can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed by too much food.
• Keep it simple. Minimize patterned plates or busy table settings, which can add visual confusion.

‍

Red plates aren’t a guaranteed fix for appetite loss in dementia. The real benefit comes from contrast, not color psychology. If your partner is struggling with food intake, try experimenting with high-contrast dishes to see what makes eating easier. That said, appetite changes can happen for many reasons beyond contrast. We’ve covered this in more detail in our blog, "10 Reasons a Person with Dementia May Refuse to Eat".

‍

References: 

https://www.felgains.com/blog/seeing-red-dementia-care-colour-red-stimulate-appetite-not/

Dunne, T. E., Neargarder, S. A., Cipolloni, P. B., & Cronin-Golomb, A. (2004). Visual contrast enhances food and liquid intake in advanced Alzheimer's disease. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 23(4), 533–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2003.09.015

Genschow, O., Reutner, L., & Wänke, M. (2012). The color red reduces snack food and soft drink intake. Appetite, 58(2), 699–702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.12.023

N. Bruno et al. The effect of the color red on consuming food does not depend on achromatic (Michelson) contrast and extends to rubbing cream on the skin
Appetite (2013)