The "kitchen counter diet" can result in people eating 20 percent less -- by keeping serving bowls in the kitchen, a New York researcher has said.

The study involving 78 adults found the adage "out of sight, out of mind" was true when it came to food, Professor Brian Wansink of Cornell University in Ithaca, N. Y., and author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," said.

Wansink said in a statement, "We looked at whether serving foods from the kitchen counter, instead of at the table, would reduce the number of times a person refilled his or her plate. When we kept the serving dishes off the table, people ate 20 percent fewer calories. Men ate close to 29 percent less."

Meanwhile, keeping fruits and vegetables on the table resulted in more consumption of those items.

Wansink further said, "If fruits and vegetables are kept in plain sight, we'll be much more likely to choose them, rather than a piece of cake hidden in the refrigerator." (With Inputs from Agencies)