AICR Calls on Americans to End 20-Year Eating Binge

American Institute for Cancer Research
Thursday, 17 July 2003

Public Urged to Make Conscious Effort to End "Unconscious Eating"

"We now have enough complementary research results to tell an amazing story: how a whole society lost its sense of appropriate portion size, ate too much and slid passively into overweight and obesity," said Jeffrey R. Prince, Vice President for Education at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR.)

Prince spoke at AICR's International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer after Dr. Barbara Rolls presented a complete review of recent research linking value marketing, supersized meals and increases in overweight and obesity among Americans.

"During the past twenty years, portion sizes in commercial establishments have ballooned. At the same time, the percentage of Americans who are overweight or obese has risen steadily, to 64 percent.

"Common sense said there was a link between these two trends. Today dozens of complementary studies, published in leading scientific journals, clearly demonstrate this link," Dr. Rolls concluded.

Research cited by the Pennsylvania State University professor indicates that most categories of people - men, women, children over 5, those at a healthy weight and those who are overweight - tend to eat as much as 56 percent more in the presence of larger portions.

Passive Eaters Urged to Take Action

"When presented with this much evidence about the effects of oversized meals, Americans can't go on passively eating up whatever is set in front of them. We have to shrug off the passivity and gullibility that have led to our twenty-year eating binge," Prince said.

Officials at AICR have often called on people "to end unconscious overeating and take a good look at their plates." To regain some sense of how regular portion sizes have expanded, the Institute suggests comparing portions on the plate with USDA standard serving sizes.

USDA standards are based on median serving sizes reported in data collected in 1982 and 1985 and preserved in connection with the food pyramid. They are listed in USDA's Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and in AICR's New American Plate brochures.

Viewed from a 2003 perspective, many people think these standard sizes are small. Although contemporary Americans often consume 8 or 12 ounces of steak, the USDA standard serving of steak is 3 ounces. Similarly, although we often chow down on 3 or more cups of pasta, the standard serving is 1/2 cup.

"No one is suggesting that we always limit ourselves to a single standard serving of our favorite food. But we can use USDA standard servings as a gauge to measure just how far beyond yesterday's norms we have strayed," Prince said.

Experts Advise 'Eyeballing' Portions

Melanie Polk, AICR Director of Nutrition Education, demonstrated how to measure portion size. She poured her regular portion of hot cereal into a bowl. Then after checking the list of USDA standard serving sizes, she poured the standard serving (1/2 cup) into an identical bowl.

"Compare the two bowls," she said. "Then ask yourself, given my activity level, how many standard servings should go into the portion I eat?"

A woman who jogs four miles a day or a man who rakes leaves all morning may need two or more standard servings in his or her portion. But an individual who is sedentary and tends to put on weight should consider decreasing the number of servings he or she eats.

"Cut back gradually so you'll be less likely to notice the change. Even small reductions will add up to substantial health benefits," Polk said.

Diners Evade Marketing Ploys

"If inducing people to eat more food than their bodies need is a crime, then there is a smoking gun on tables, counters and display shelves in eating establishments all over this country.

"And it's smoking because we picked it up and shot ourselves with it," Prince said.

He suggested that Americans develop defenses against value meals, supersizing and other marketing ploys that have lured them into buying and then eating ever-expanding portions of food.

"When a server says that for just a quarter more you can supersize that meal, tell him or her politely, 'I'll keep my quarter and you keep the extra calories,'" Prince suggested.

In eateries, AICR officials recommend that people say "half," say "small" and share. Although many establishments no longer offer "small" orders, insist on the smallest size available.

Another recommended defense is splitting a meal in two and slipping half into a doggie bag before beginning to eat. Although you may have to pay for an extra "set up," sharing an oversized single meal will save calories and money.

"If none of that works, try eating a few more well-measured meals at home or brown bagging it for a few weeks," Prince said.

"It would be nice if all the value meals, supersized items and entrees spilling over 12-inch plates just disappeared. But that may not happen until food marketers see that their customers just won't pay for oversized products anymore," Prince said.

Overweight and obesity have been linked to cancer as well as other chronic diseases. Approximately 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent of cancer deaths in women are related to excess weight, according to a study published in the April 24 Journal of the American Medical Association.

A list of USDA's standard serving sizes and a description of the "eyeball method" for assessing portion size are found in For Breakfast, AICR latest New American Plate brochure. For a single free copy call 1-800-843-8114 or go to www.aicr.org

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