Sue Rose, RD - Office Location

Focus on Portion Distortion

In several surveys, Americans cite our obesity problem as stemming from the "types" of foods we are eating, without giving any thought to the total impact on energy balance just due to eating overly large servings of most foods. According to researchers, portion sizes rose dramatically in the 1970s and then skyrocketed in the 1980s.

Pasta serving sizes are nearly 5 times the serving size of decades past. Cookies are nearly 7 times the standard cookie size of the 1980s. Bakers are using larger muffin tins and commercial muffins have nearly tripled in size from the 1980s. Even car manufacturers are making larger cup holders and restuarants now use a 12 inch standard plate as opposed to a 5 inch plate!

With all sorts of marketing incentives prodding us to eat more and the fact that Americans are eating 46% of their meals prepared outside the home, it is no wonder Americans have burgeoning waistlines! For those who rely heavily on take out and restaurant food, it is particularly important to focus on the actual food portions served, which will almost always be excessive and have more hidden fat than the foods prepared in a standard recipe at home. Use the following visual guidelines to help keep your calories and waistline in check while dining out.

A 3 oz. serving of meat, fish or poultry- a deck of cards

A 3 oz. serving of fish- a checkbook

1 cup of any cooked pasta or cereal- a fist

1/2 cup rice- a full cupcake wrapper

1 baked potato serving- a fist

1/2 cup of a cooked vegetable- a lightbulb or a scoop of ice cream

A medium size fruit- a tennis ball or a fist

1/4 cup raisins- a large egg

1 ounce of cheese-a pair of dice

1 Teaspoon butter/margarine-size a stamp and thickness of fingertip

2 Tablespoons salad dressing- a ping pong ball