Using a rule of thumb when pouring wine will limit the likelihood of overconsumption, even for men with a higher body mass index (BMI).

Researchers from Iowa State University found that that people who used a "rule of thumb," such as a half-glass rule or a two-fingers-from-the-top rule when pouring wine, poured less regardless of BMI or gender.

"About 70 percent of the people in the sample used the half-glass rule, and they poured significantly less by about 20 percent," Laura Smarandescu, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "It's a big difference. We would suggest using a rule of thumb with pouring because it makes a big difference in how much people pour and prevents them from overdrinking."

For the study, researchers asked 74 college students and staff to pour wine in a variety of settings so that they could control for the size, shape and color of the glass, as well as if wine is poured with a meal. They poured both red and white wine from bottles with different levels of fullness. Participants were told to pour as much as wine as they normally would in one setting.

They found that Men with a higher BMI, who did not use a rule of thumb, poured more -- 31 percent more for men considered overweight or obese and 26 percent more for men at the midpoint of the normal BMI range. While BMI did not affect how much women poured, those at the midpoint of the normal BMI poured 27 percent less when using the half-glass rule than those who did not.

The study looked only at pours, not consumption. However, researchers point to previous studies that show serving size is linked with overeating. Free pouring wine increases the tendency to over consume because it is not as easily measured as other types of beer or spirits.

The findings will be published in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy.