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Category:
Insurance
News /
Medical Schemes /
Discovery
Life
/ January 2007
Portion Distortion
Bigger portions – a component of our
modern day lifestyles
As portions have become bigger over the
past thirty years, so have South African’s waistlines, says Anne
Till, a registered dietitian and Discovery’s nutrition consultant.
The serving sizes of foods sold in restaurants and at home have
become much larger.
 About
56% of women and 29% of men in South Africans are considered to be
overweight or clinically obese today. An increase in the prevalence
of obesity has also been reported in other developing nations
undergoing transition such as Mexico and Brazil. We are following
similar trends.
Some of Anne Till’s examples of the
risks of increasing body weight and becoming overweight or obese
include the portion size of the food eaten:
Within our modern day environment it
appears that we are actually eating more food and more calories than
we did between three to five decades ago.
In South Africa trends indicate that
food availability has risen from an average of 2603 calories per
person per day in 1962, to 2921 calories per person per day in
2001. That is about a 300 calorie increase per person per day.
This data also reveal that available
fat in the diet increased from 61.2 grams to 79 grams per person per
day and carbohydrate from 445 to 478 grams per person per day. We
are eating more than we did 30 years ago.
American food consumption trends are
similar. The Centre for Disease Control in the USA reveals that men
have increased food intake form 2450 kilocalories in 1971 to 2618
kilocalories in 2000.
Women show similar trends with the
average women consuming 1542 Kilocalories in 1971 to 1877
kilocalories in 2000. Americans are also eating more than they did
thirty years ago.
These results are representative of
global food consumption trends, but at the same time as food
consumption has increased,
activity levels around the globe
have decreased.
Where do these excess calories come
from?
Bigger portions – a component of our
modern day lifestyles
 From
research in the USA it appears that portion sizes began to increase
from 1970, rose sharply in 1980 and have continued to increase with
each decade, an increase that runs in parallel with the increasing
incidence of obesity and overweight .
To illustrate this, consider some data
from the Centre for Disease Control in the USA. It is estimated that
the average American consumed approximately 1497 pounds of food per
person per year in 1970 and this rose to a whopping 1775 pounds of
food per person per year in the year 2000. That is a 278 pound
increase per person per year – which translates into a lot of extra
food.
Researchers report that portion size
changes are part of the “supersizing” phenomenon seen at fast food
establishments and at restaurants. While the use of takeaway foods
and restaurant dining have played a role in promoting larger portion
sizes, it appears that portion sizes both inside and outside of the
home environment have increased.
This shift to larger portion sizes
within the home environment indicates marked changes in eating
behaviour that need to be addressed.
According to another survey on food
portion sizes it was found the actual sizes of food portions
consumed were significantly larger than those advocated as healthy
by US government regulatory bodies.
For example it was found that the
average portion of pasta was 480% larger, muffins 333% larger,
steaks 224% bigger and bagels 195% bigger than recommended. The
largest excess over recommended health standards was found in the
cookie category were portion sizes were 700% bigger than
recommended.
It appears that with the global trend
in food consumption that we have lost our perspective on what a
suitable portion of food is. Health authorities clearly state that
educating people on which foods to eat and which foods not to eat is
not enough, an equally important issue is the quantity of food being
consumed.
Till says that one should not target
restricting single nutrients in the diet such as fat, carbohydrate
or proteins; rather South Africans should eat the best foods from
each group.
South Africans should not believe that
the amount of food that a restaurant serves you is the correct
portion as people of all shapes and sizes receive the same portion
in restaurants.
Till recommends that you increase the
portion of fruit and vegetables and decrease the portion of
high-calorie foods such as French fries and soft drinks. She advises
that you choose whole-grain, high-fibre foods, eat oily fish, but
restrict your intake of saturated and trans fat e.g. fast food. She
suggests that we should be cautious of free sugars as cane sugar is
the most commonly used food additive.
Tips to manage your plate
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Use smaller glasses, cups, plates
and serving spoons
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Read food labels
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Share meals
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Eat slowly
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Do not eat in front of the
television
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Do not serve from the table as it
makes it easier to have seconds.
Portion distortion is a problem. We are
being served too much food. Till stresses that we need to be
conscience of what we are eating and how much we are eating.
Notes
It may also be of interest to know
that Anne is the author of a new book published by Struik and
launched this year called “the Ultimate Diet Solution” in this
book She looks at global trends in nutrition and disease and
overweight and what consumers need to do to combat this trend in
their lives. Anne also provides information about “portion
Distortion” and in later chapters information about what appropriate
portions are.
You may contact Anne at 011 463 4663
or anne@annetill.co.za
Source: ITInews – Insurance
Times and Investments Online
www.itinews.co.za
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