Supersizing it supersized me
 

I have been thinking hard about the epedemic of obesity that Dr Atkins talks about which has finally made big news. I would like to blame the carbs, but I have been looking into it past my Atkins readings and really think thats its a combo of processed food and portion sizes. The portion sizes in the US have grown enormously since I was a kid-more soda equals more sugar. Most people have no idea what a 'regular' or recommended portion of something is. I will share with you a short article I came across today that explains how we have become supersized along with the products they push on us it opened my eyes and is something I will incorporate into my new way of eating:



Supersize Meals and Obesity
Portion Sizes Contribute to Health Crisis

by Rick Hall, MS, RD

Supersizes, value meals and meal deals. As consumer demand for value grows, the food industry has responded with the one thing guaranteed to meet customer expectations and boost sales: create bigger portions for less money.

I can easily remember when the first 32 ounce soft drinks were available in convenience stores. Now that was a big drink. It was over 2.5 cans of soda. Now how could anyone drink more soda than 32 ounces in any given day? The 44 ounce version soon followed, as did the 64 ounce mega-size (that's 5.3 cans of soda) cup. It wasn't hard to convince us that bigger was better. After all, promotional pricing creates better values for larger portions - and everyone loves a good deal.

Supersized portions are contributing more than we bargained for, suggests a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Bigger portion sizes add significant calories to the American diet, and we are fatter than ever before.

Authors Lisa Young, PhD, RD and Marion Nestle, PhD compared 2002 portion sizes of commonly eaten ready-to-eat convenience foods with original portion sizes offered at the time foods were introduced. Marketplace portion sizes, according to the study, are 2-8 times bigger than serving sizes used by the FDA and USDA for meal planning guidance.

Serving size differences between the 2002 marketplace and the USDA Food Guide Pyramid:

* Bagel: chain store 3.9-5.0 oz / USDA 2.0 oz
* Roast beef sandwich filling: marketplace 3.9-7.9 oz / USDA 2.5 oz
* Cooked pasta: marketplace 2.6-3.3 cups / USDA 0.5 cup

Portion sizes have increased 2-5 times greater than the original size introduced:

* Hershey's chocolate bar: 0.6 oz in 1908 / 1.6 - 8.0 oz in 2002
* Burger King Hamburger sandwich: 3.9 oz in 1954 / 4.4-12.6 oz in 2002
* McDonald's soda: 7 fl oz in 1955 / 12-42 fl oz in 2002
* Coca Cola bottle: 6.5 fl oz in 1916 / 8-34 fl oz in 2002

In 2001, the Surgeon General announced a Call to Action for obesity prevention which stressed the importance of portion control. With the trend of serving sizes continuing to grow to meet consumer demand, it appears that the obesity crisis is here to stay - at least for awhile.

Source: Young LR, Nestle M. Expanding portion sizes in the US marketplace: Implications for nutrition counseling. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:231-234.

You've hit the nail squarely on the head Fairchild. I've been thinking along the same line of thought for a while now. I think the most telling proof that gigantic portion size and processed are at the heart of the obesity epidemic is when you compare the US, where this trend is strongest to other countries. Carbs are hardly a new thing. People have been consuming carbs for a long time, so what has brought about this drastic change. Portion sizes along with a huge increase in the amount of processed food people eat. So yes carbs are a factor because processed food usually equals carbs. I still believe in Atkins because I think it's the best way to reverse the damage this carb overload has caused. However, if this trend had never occured...the dramatic increase in portion sizes, coupled with a over-reliance on processed food, the poisonous low-fat/high-carb message and the decline of the home-cooked meal ..... there never would have been an obesity epidemic.

I agree on the carbs being the main culprit, whether in processed foods or portion sizes.

Think about it -- those Super Size portions do not increase the protein or nutrient-laden carbs one iota. Nope. They give you a big pile of grease-soaked fries (what kind 'o grease?) and a bigger-than-anyone-should drink sugar-filled beverage.

So, therein lies the carb factor, as I see it.

I was thinking on this exact subject line the other day and mentioned my thoughts to my husband. He was always one to ask for the super size and would eat the whole thing and refill the drink most of the time.

Realizing now what he was doing, he wonders how he lived this long. :)

---Amy

Well its because processed carbs are cheap!
Like the article said, its a selling point-you are getting more for your money-more what?? Not good for you stuff cause that costs money so lets give you more sugar and potato etc. Its the more food thats killing you the carbs happen to go along with more fat and no veggies and normal protein sizes. I spent a year in Holland where they eat french fries for snacks all day long and white brad with cheese is the everyday sandwich. They put mayo on those fries too! Those folks just dont eat large meals like we do, there is no supersize, they rarely drink soda and I never saw an all you can eat anything! So what we have done here is increase portions and sell them like its a good deal. Its a marketing ploy. Thats why so many folks who are low income are overweight and obese, they gotta go for the deal, and they consume more food than ever before.
I agree with Angeline here just because I was over in a country where carbs were a daily thing and those people were thin. We need to look at our portion sizes here, even Dr A goes into it if you read all his stuff. He tells you to eat protein that is about the size of a pack of cigarettes. He knew what he was talking about. I just had to reread DANDR a few times and scour their web site to see the portion recommendations clearly. We need to stop processed foods and overeating simultaneously.

That's an excellent point... so many people are attracted to Atkins and other low-carb plans because they have heard someone say, "you can eat all you want." And that's a message that is easy to some by if you just skim the books, but it is a myth. Atkins' books do recommend against overeating and that calorie intake does matter, but so many dieters are searching for an easy miracle that they gloss over this.