Why is portion size important?
By Kassandra Goodman, Danielle Hoven, and Kelly Nkemdilim Diaz
An important part of eating healthy includes choosing the correct amount of different foods to eat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), research shows that presenting people with larger portions can lead them to unintentionally consuming more calories than they need. Portion control is important as it helps to prevent over consumption of calories from the food we eat and unnecessary weight gain. Weight gain happens when we eat more calories than what we use for normal bodily functions and physical activity throughout the day. It is important to maintain a healthy weight in order to reduce your risk of health complications related to being overweight and/or obese.
Over the course of 2017 and 2018, the prevalence of obesity in the United States increased to 42.5% from its previous prevalence of 30.5% from the year 1997-2000. Furthermore, obesity rates in children ages 2-19 in 2017-2018 were at 19.3%. People found to be overweight and/or obese tend to be at higher risk for several serious diseases and health conditions compared to others who have healthy weights. These conditions include stroke, heart disease, type two diabetes, and certain cancers among other psychosocial effects such as anxiety, depression, isolation, and discrimination. In order to combat the harmful consequences that can occur from having an unhealthy weight, it is important to learn about adopting healthy behaviors surrounding nutrition and physical activity. One way to do that includes balancing the number of calories we consume with the number of calories our bodies use and paying close attention to the portions of foods we consume throughout the day.
Portion Size vs. Serving Size
What is a portion? A portion is the amount of food that you choose to eat which can be more than or less than a serving. What is a serving? A serving is an amount of food that is standardized and may be used to inform people about how much of a food or food group they should eat. Serving sizes can be found on many food nutrition labels and are based on recommended daily calorie intake.
What are appropriate portion sizes?
- 1 serving of fruit = a tennis ball
- 1 serving of vegetables = a baseball
- 1 serving of carbohydrates = a hockey puck (half a cup)
- 1 serving of protein = a deck of cards (2 to 2.5 ounces)
- 1 serving of fat (such as margarine) = 2 dice (1-2 teaspoons)
Tips and Tricks
- Measure out your food or match up your food with daily objects.
- Practice, practice, practice!
- When eating out at a restaurant, split an entree or box half your meal when it is brought to the table.
- Put one portion of a food group on your plate at a time.
- If you feel hungry before a meal, grab a healthy snack such as an apple or bowl of carrots.
- Don’t eat food straight from a large package. Divide the contents into smaller containers or take out one portion at a time.
- Store tempting foods in a place that is not easily accessible, such as a high shelf or the back of a pantry.
Additional Resource
https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan (Español )
References
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (2020, February). Serving size vs portion size: Is there a difference. Eatright. https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/serving-size-vs-portion-size-is-there-a-difference
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, January 11). How to avoid portion size pitfalls to help manage your weight. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/portion_size.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 22). Overweight and obesity. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/index.html Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, November 14). Portion control. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/multimedia/portion-control/sls-20076148?s=7
