Nutritionists Warn Public: Portion Sizes Out of Control

American Institute for Cancer Research
Wednesday, 20 October 1999

Experts Urge Taking a Day to "Eyeball" Servings

Nutrition experts with the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) are calling for Americans to take a day to measure the serving sizes of their favorite foods. Making time to "eyeball" individual serving amounts, they said, reveals a widening gap between the servings listed on food labels and the helpings most Americans actually consume.

"Portion sizes are getting bigger, and Americans are getting fatter," said AICR Director of Nutrition Education, Melanie Polk, R.D. "The two trends are related. Over the past few decades the amount of food we consume has steadily increased. That's why AICR is asking people to 'size up' how much they're really eating over the course of a day."

According to clinical studies, Americans underestimate the amount of calories they consume each day by as much as 25%. AICR believes that such "unconscious eating" helps to explain why more Americans than ever - 55% - are now considered overweight. This means most Americans are now at increased risk for obesity-related diseases like cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis.

"Eyeball" Your Portions

For a single day, AICR urges consumers to follow these quick, simple steps at each meal. First, check the serving size listed on the "Nutrition Facts" food label, and fill a measuring spoon or cup with that amount. Next, empty the food onto a clean plate.

At this point, consumers should make a mental snapshot of what they see, paying particular attention to how much of the plate is covered. By repeating this procedure at each meal prepared that day, consumers will quickly learn what a single serving of many different foods really looks like.

Experts say that an important weight management skill is developed in these few extra minutes. The mental snapshots taken while "eyeballing" single servings prove an invaluable reference tool for gauging portion size in the future.

"More people are reading food labels today, and that's encouraging," said Polk. "But without knowing how big a serving size really is, the nutritional information listed on labels can't be put into context, and is not particularly useful.

"For example, a typical serving of low-fat granola contains around 220 calories and 3 grams of fat. What most people don't notice, however, is that the serving size listed is usually only 2/3 of a cup. So if they pour themselves a typical bowl of cereal, they could be getting two, three, even four times more calories and fat than they realize."

Even so, nutritionists stress that the serving size amounts on food labels are not to be considered suggested servings. They are simply the units of measure used by food manufacturers to derive nutritional information like calories, fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals. As such, the concept of serving size is central to discussions of balanced diet and weight management.

"Of course, different people have different caloric needs, and it may well be that they require more than one 'serving' of a given food at a meal," said Polk. "They may even continue to load up on favorite foods once in a while. After using the 'eyeball method,' however, they'll be fully aware that they are doing so, and that's important."

Portion Sizes Continue to Grow

AICR believes that changes in the American marketplace have spurred the growth in portion size. Fast food chains have competed for consumer dollars by inflating their serving sizes. Modestly sized bagels and muffins have disappeared from American cafes, replaced by creations three or four times their size. Even reputable restaurants are using larger plates laden with more food to assure customers they're getting their money's worth.

"These are some of the factors that have contributed to the problem," said Polk. "But what's really happening here is that, as a nation, we've forgotten when to say when. The serving size is a fundamental concept of everyday nutrition, and we've slowly let ourselves lose sight of it. AICR hopes that spending a few minutes with a measuring cup will help Americans keep their portions in proportion."

The American Institute for Cancer Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet and cancer. The Institute provides a wide range of consumer education programs that have helped millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided over $50 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer.

For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org