Originally published October 24 2005
Big food portions may be behind the obesity epidemic
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
At its annual meeting, the Obesity Society discussed two studies that suggest bigger meal portions are contributing to America's obesity problems, as a majority of study participants ate however much food was set before them.
Americans eat what's put in front of them, even if it's way too much.
In fact, adults and children --- even kids as young as 2 --- will keep on eating if they are served bigger portions, according to two new studies discussed Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-loss professionals.
In one study, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston fed dinner to 75 kids ages 2 to 9 on three occasions.
The meal was designed to be appealing to them: macaroni and cheese, corn, applesauce, baby carrots, chocolate-chip cookies and milk.
The macaroni-and-cheese entree was served three different ways: an age-appropriate portion on the dinner plates; twice as much of the entree on the dinner plate; and twice as much made available in an individual serving dish instead of on the plate.
� When served an age-appropriate amount, children ate about half (56%) of the entree.
� When the portion was doubled, the children ate an average of 29% more of the macaroni and cheese than when they were served the more appropriate amount.
So Barbara Rolls, a nutrition professor at Pennsylvania State University, and colleagues had 23 normal-weight and overweight adults eat foods and beverages prepared in the university's nutrition lab for two 11-day periods.
� Participants ate an average of 400 more calories a day when served the larger portions for a total of 4,473 more calories over 11 days.
Obese people who lose as little as 17 pounds likely will improve their cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and other health-risk factors, says another study presented at the meeting.
"Modest weight loss improves nearly all parameters of health," says researcher Suzanne Phelan, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Brown University.
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