June
2008
Portion Distortion
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Which came first, the larger waistline or the bigger portion size? This is like one of those philosophical questions about art imitating life or the chicken/egg paradox.
Do food companies simply cater to the desires of the overweight by serving them more food? Or are people overweight because food companies keep on ramping up their plate sizes in an effort to outdo their competition? Or maybe it is both and we have a horrifying positive feedback loop on our hands. This is a playful rhetorical mind-game for the purpose of this post (albeit one with a serious answer and grave consequences).
At the end of the day, the fact remains that 20 years ago portion size was a fraction of what we see today. To demonstrate this the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) put together a Portion Distortion quiz. Try it for yourself and be blown away by the results.
Further Reading:
What About Water Portion Size?
It’s Hard to Eat Too Much of a Good Thing
Hat Tip to Divine Caroline
