| According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, see graphic to the right), the average American portion size has increased dramatically since the 1950s with the average restaurant meal being four times as large. American adults weigh, on average, 26 pounds more today than in the 1950s. A Jan. 2013 Public Health and Nutrition Journal study found that 96% of entrees at chain restaurants exceeded dietary guidelines for fat, sodium, and saturated fat–some coming close to exceeding recommended daily intake maximums for sodium with just one meal. See below for the recommended serving sizes of common foods according to the CDC, FDA, and other experts. |
Breakfast Foods
Lunch & Dinner Foods
Snack & Dessert Foods
| Sources:
Huffington Post, “The New (Ab)Normal: Portion Sizes Today vs. In the 1950s (Infographic),” www.huffingtonpost.com, May 23, 2012 Tanya Mancini, “Portion Size,” www.thatsfit.com, Dec. 3, 2009 Men’s Health Editors, “12 Easy Ways to Estimate Serving Sizes,” www.menshealth.com (accessed Feb. 13, 2013) Nicole Nichols, “The Portion Distortion Guide,” www.sparkpeople.com (accessed Feb. 13, 2013) US National Library of Medicine, US Department of Health and Human Services, and National Institutes of Health, “Portion Size,” www.nlm.nih.gov, Jan. 24, 2013 Jackie Wicks, “How to Learn Portion Control… …A Guide to Quickly Teach You the Basics of Portion Control,” www.peertrainer.com (accessed on Feb. 28, 2013) Helen W. Wu and Roland Sturm, “What’s on the Menu? A Review of the Energy and Nutritional Content of US Chain Restaurant Menus,” Public Health Nutrition website, Jan. 2013 |
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