Serving size food groups
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Understanding Serving Size and Food Groups: Insights from Recent Research
Importance of Accurate Food Portion Estimation
Accurately estimating food portion sizes is crucial for maintaining a balanced diet and managing food intake. Traditional methods of estimating portion sizes often lead to significant errors, which can impact dietary habits and health outcomes. Recent studies have explored various tools and strategies to improve the accuracy of food portion estimation.
Augmented Reality Tools for Serving Sizes
A novel approach to improving portion size estimation involves the use of augmented reality (AR). The ServAR tool, which overlays virtual food servings on a plate using a tablet, has shown promise in enhancing the accuracy of portion size estimation. In a study involving 90 adults, the ServAR tool significantly reduced estimation errors compared to verbal information or no aid at all. Participants using ServAR had a higher proportion of estimations within 10%, 25%, and 50% of the reference portion sizes, demonstrating its potential as a practical tool for guiding food servings1.
Variations in Declared Serving Sizes
Inconsistencies in Packaged Food Serving Sizes
In Australia, the lack of regulation on declared serving sizes on food packaging has led to significant variations within similar product categories. A study analyzing 4046 products from the Five Food Groups found that serving sizes varied widely, with coefficients of variation ranging from 0% to 59%. Only 24% of products had serving sizes close to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, highlighting the need for standardization to improve the usability of serving size information2.
Impact of Serving Size Labels on Consumption
The influence of serving size labels on food consumption has been systematically reviewed, revealing mixed results. Some studies found that smaller serving sizes or contextual information on packaging led to reduced consumption of discretionary foods. However, the impact on non-discretionary foods remains unclear, indicating a need for further research in this area10.
External Cues and Serving Behavior
Plate and Bowl Size Effects
The size of tableware, such as plates and bowls, can significantly influence the amount of food served and consumed. A study examining the impact of plate size found no significant difference in food consumption between large and small plates, challenging previous assumptions about the plate size effect3. Conversely, another study showed that larger serving bowls led to a 77% increase in the amount of food served, suggesting that bowl size can affect serving behavior and perceived satiety5.
Strategies to Mitigate Overconsumption
Providing options to take away uneaten food, such as using "doggy bags," can attenuate the portion size effect. In a study with women, those informed that they could take leftovers home consumed significantly less food when served larger portions compared to those without this option. This strategy could be effective in reducing overconsumption from large portions4.
Recommendations for Standard Serving Sizes
Aligning Serving Sizes with Dietary Guidelines
Efforts to standardize serving sizes should align with dietary guidelines to ensure consistency and improve public health outcomes. For example, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet provides clear examples of serving sizes for various food groups, which can serve as a model for standardization efforts7.
Assessing Food Intakes Based on Serving Sizes
A method for comparing food intakes with dietary recommendations involves disaggregating food mixtures into their ingredients and categorizing them into food groups. This approach helps estimate the mean number of servings consumed and the proportion of the population meeting dietary recommendations, providing valuable insights for nutrition monitoring and education8.
Conclusion
Accurate estimation and standardization of serving sizes are essential for effective dietary management and public health. Tools like augmented reality aids, standardized serving size labels, and strategies to mitigate overconsumption can significantly improve portion size estimation and food consumption behaviors. Further research and implementation of these strategies across diverse settings and populations are warranted to enhance their effectiveness and impact.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
ServAR: An augmented reality tool to guide the serving of food
ServAR, an augmented reality tool, improved accuracy and consistency in estimating standard food serving sizes compared to information only and control conditions.
RCT
Rigorous JournalLarge Variations in Declared Serving Sizes of Packaged Foods in Australia: A Need for Serving Size Standardisation?
There is substantial variation in declared serving sizes of packaged foods in Australia, and these sizes are not aligned with the Australian Dietary Guidelines or typical portion sizes consumed by adults.
Observational Study
Very Rigorous JournalPlate size and food consumption: a pre-registered experimental study in a general population sample
Using larger plates for self-served food may result in slightly more calories consumed (3%) compared to using smaller plates, but the clinically significant effect remains unclear.
RCTVery Rigorous JournalDoggy bags and downsizing: Packaging uneaten food to go after a meal attenuates the portion size effect in women
Packaging uneaten food in a "doggy bag" after a meal can effectively reduce overconsumption from large portions in women.
RCTRigorous JournalServing bowl selection biases the amount of food served.
Larger serving bowls lead to 77% more pasta served and greater satiation compared to medium-sized bowls, highlighting the importance of considering bowl size in nutrition education.
RCTComparison of consumed portion sizes and on-pack serving sizes of UK energy dense foods
Consumed portion sizes are significantly higher than on-pack serving sizes in most energy-dense foods, suggesting a need for updated portion size guidance.
Rigorous JournalDietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
Food Group Serving Sizes Examples Grains 1 slice bread 1 oz (1⁄2 1 1⁄4 c) dry cereal 1⁄2 cup cooked rice, pasta, cereal Whole-wheat bread, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, polenta, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, unsalted popcorn, pretzels Vegetables 1 c raw leafy vegetables 1⁄2 cup raw, cut-up vegetables 1⁄2 cup cooked vegetables 1⁄2 cup low-sodium vegetable juice Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, squash, broccoli, turnip greens, kale, spinach, artichokes, green beans, yams
Highly CitedMethod for assessing food intakes in terms of servings based on food guidance.
This study developed a method to compare food intake data with the US Department of Agriculture's food guide pyramid, revealing that large proportions of adults (43-72%) fail to meet dietary recommendations.
Observational StudyHighly CitedThe Effect of Food Unit Sizes and Meal Serving Occasions on Eating Behaviour Characteristics: Within Person Randomised Crossover Studies on Healthy Women
Large food unit sizes increase meal duration and chews, while serving occasions do not significantly change eating behavior in healthy women.
RCTVery Rigorous JournalThe effect of the labelled serving size on consumption: A systematic review
Serving size labelling on food packages can lead to less discretionary food consumption, but the impact on non-discretionary food consumption remains unclear.
Systematic ReviewRigorous Journal