Portion Size and Obesity

Two US studies published this year have shown that the portion size of meals and snack foods eaten at home and at restaurants (including fast food outlets) in the US have increased over the last 20 years. It is suspected that this 'portion distortion' may be contributing to the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in the US and probably also in Australia.

Many people are unfamiliar with recommended portion sizes - for some a portion is whatever fills their plate - but one serving of cooked rice or pasta, for example, is only 1 cup (which fills only about one third of your plate) and one serving of meat is about 100g (which is the size of a pack of cards). Have a look at HECs Healthy Eating Pyramid for recommended portion sizes.

The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2003 by Nielsen & Popkin (http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/289/4/450)
reported that portion sizes for most foods served in the home and at restaurants in the US have increased; 93 more calories are consumed in a serving of salty snacks, 49 calories more in soft drinks, 50 more in fruit drinks, 97 more in hamburgers and 133 more from Mexican food. Most of the increases were in fast food establishments except for hamburgers, cheese burgers and desserts where the increases were greater at home than outside. The only takeaway food which didn't change was pizza.

Another study published in the January 2003 Journal of the American Dietetic Association reporetd that portion sizes increased significantly between 1990 and 1995 for soft drinks, coffee, tea, and ready-to-eat cereal.

The authors concluded that it is not enough for health professionals to recommend the right foods to eat - we also have to control the quantity as well.

At the healthy eating club our recomemndation is:
"A moderate intake of a variety of foods is the key to
good health and environmental sustainability"

Last Updated: March 2003