FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
SUBJECT:
Portion Distortion
Statistics tell us that a majority
of the adult American population is at increased risk for obesity-related
diseases like certain cancers, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high
blood pressure, gall bladder disease, and osteoarthritis. The causes of
epidemic obesity are varied and complex, but a pretty simple fact is that we
consume more energy than we use.
USDA figures show that we are eating
an additional 148 calories per day, on average, than we were twenty years ago.
That increase may seem insignificant, but actually it could amount to an extra
15 pounds per year.
Why do we eat so much?
We live in a “toxic food
environment,” according to Yale obesity expert Kelly Brownell. “Every gas
station, ballpark, movie theater, and restaurant tempts us with too much of the
wrong foods.”
But,
still, why exactly do we eat so much?
One
reason is that Americans rate value over health. Restaurant
owners recognize that fact and use it to win more customers. They can give
customers value either by cutting prices or by putting more food on the plate,
and the rising costs of labor and overhead mean that the food itself accounts
for only a small fraction of the price of a meal. When it comes to a choice
between cutting prices by a dollar or giving people about thirty cents extra
food, restauranteurs opt for the 30-cent solution.
Value
marketing has confused Americans about what a normal portion of food looks
like. With every super-sized fast-food meal or 64-ounce soft drink, we lose
perspective. It’s called portion
distortion. And as grown-up versions of children who were encouraged to
clean our plates, most of us seem to eat whatever we’re served.
·
Become familiar with the Nutrition Facts labels of your
favorite foods. Spend a few minutes with a measuring cup and an inexpensive
kitchen scale and measure or weigh the standard serving. Empty that amount onto
a plate or in a bowl, and make a mental note of what that standard serving
looks like. Know the difference, say, between three ounces of chicken and half
a pound.
·
Become familiar with the Food Guide Pyramid. It’s ok to
eat more than one standard serving of a food at a given meal, just don’t go
over the total number of servings recommended for the day. And remember that
the total number of servings recommended varies depending on age and activity
level.
·
Ask yourself how many standard servings go into the
portion you usually eat. Are you eating three servings of potatoes when you’re
actually full after two? Are you pouring two servings of cereal when your
activity level requires only one? If the answer is yes, gradually reduce the
size of your typical portion.
·
Most of us don’t eat nearly enough fruits and
vegetables. They’re low in calories and essential to preventing some cancers,
so help yourself to more as you cut back on other foods.
·
Tell restaurant and supermarket personnel that you
don’t want more for less, you want less (food) for even less
(money). You want a good price for a meal you can finish without feeling
stuffed.
·
When given the option, order the small size. Choosing
the regular burger instead of the quarter-pound size saves about 160 calories.
Ordering a cup of cream of mushroom soup instead of a bowl saves about 180.
·
Ask if an “appetizer” portion of your favorite entree
is available.
·
Divide the meal with a knife before you start eating
and ask the waiter for a doggie bag then, or even when you order.
Reserve half or even two-thirds of what you’re served and take it home for
another meal or two. Eating just one cup of a three-cup platter of pasta can
save almost 300 calories.
·
Share an entree with a friend, even if there’s a charge
for the extra plate. You’ll still pay less and you’ll eat the right amount.
·
If you can’t share, order small or take home—don’t feel
compelled to eat all that’s served. The money is spent and, hopefully, was
well-spent. Why detract from the experience by hurting yourself?
·
When serving yourself or others, keep portion sizes
reasonable. Anybody who’s hungry can always return for seconds, or may even
discover that the smaller portion is quite satisfying.
·
For beverages, stick to water, diet soft drinks,
unsweetened tea and—twice a day—a cup of skim or 1% milk.
·
At fast-food restaurants, order a kiddie meal and a
diet drink for yourself instead of a combo or value-meal.
For more information on making healthy
food choices, contact your local office of Clemson University Cooperative
Extension Service, or the Home & Garden Information Center at
http://hgic.clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.
#########
Clemson
University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all
ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability,
political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status, and is an
equal opportunity employer.
