Why portion size is important

Ketchup, salad dressing, butter and even mustard are usually heaped on and the problem is that they contain incredibly high amounts of fat and salt and sugar. What happens when a child eats more than they need to is that their stomach actually begins to expand, making room for larger meals.

Adding to this dilemma is the fact that children today get a lot less physical exercise than they used to, and in some cases practically none. Due to budget cuts many schools have reduced gym classes, something that at least got them 45 minutes to an hour of healthy movement every day.

Without it, their bodies will not burn off the extra calories and fat that these large meals are putting into them. Simply put, if your child is smaller you should use a smaller plate when serving them at every meal. This would be a great way to determine if they are getting enough to eat and also make sure that they are not eating too much. Also, cutting back on between-meal snacking and on fizzy drinks and fruit juice, both extremely high in sugar, is not only a good idea but vital to good health.

Portion control in front of the TV. When eating or snacking in front of the TV, put the amount that you plan to eat into a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package. Go ahead, spoil your dinner. If you feel hungry between meals, eat a healthy snack, like a piece of fruit or small salad, to avoid overeating during your next meal.

Be aware of large packages. For some reason, the larger the package, the more people consume from it without realizing it. To minimize this effect:. Out of sight, out of mind.

People tend to consume more when they have easy access to food. When it comes to deciding how much to eat, the terms serving size and portion size are often used interchangeably. However, they don't mean the same thing. Serving size is a standardized amount of food. It may be used to quantify recommended amounts, as is the case with the MyPlate food groups, or represent quantities that people typically consume on a Nutrition Facts label.

Portion size is the amount of a food you choose to eat — which may be more or less than a serving. Research repeatedly confirms that larger food servings not only provide more calories but also have two other effects. They encourage people to eat more and to underestimate how much they are eating. A few years ago, I asked Lisa Young, who teaches our department's introductory nutrition course, to ask her students to guess the number of calories in an eight-ounce Coke and a ounce Double Gulp -- yes, such things exist.

She did not expect beginning students to know the exact numbers, but did expect them to do the math. To her surprise, the average multiplier turned out to be three, not eight. How come? Students said that calories in a drink was impossible.

No, it is not, as menu labels now reveal.