Portion Distortion

Next time you’re asked if you want to up-size your fast food combo, don’t do it! No matter how hungry you may feel, portion sizes are currently out of control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied the portion sizes of major fast food restaurants and compared them to current nutritional guidelines and the portion sizes from the 1950s and found some huge results. Divine Caroline found that portion sizes of many foods have jumped sharply even since the 1970s. So how big are these portions, and what can you do to get back to portion reality?

Chatelaine reports that the average hamburger weighed just 3.9 ounces back in the 1950s; it’s 12 ounces now. Today’s burger is 208 percent bigger than it was 60 years ago. Though it’s not clear, this seems to be the weight of the entire burger with bun and toppings, not just the patty. When the name of a burger includes a weight, like McDonald’s Quarter-Pounder or Angus Third-Pounder, it refers to the weight of the uncooked patty. Back when McDonalds first opened, the only burger size they offered was a basic hamburger, the one that is now available in the Happy Meal.

Back in the 1950s, the only size of fries available was we know as the small. Back then, the average portion of fries was 2.4 ounces, now it’s 6.7 ounces. That makes it 179 percent bigger. Keep in mind that is the current average size, today’s large is an even greater percentage larger than the original size.

It’s not just burger places that have let their portion sizes grow. Divine Caroline took data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Portion Distortion to compare current fast food portion sizes to those from the 1970s. Two slices of pizza now have 350 more calories than they used to. Bagels have grown by two to three-inches and 210 calories.

Beverages are just as bad. Coca-Cola’s classis glass bottles used to hold only 8 ounces, then the 12-ounce can was introduced, now we drink from 20-ounce bottles. The average fast food soda in the 1950s was 7 ounces; now it’s 42 ounces. That’s a 500 percent increase.

With giant portions everywhere, it seems like we’re all stuck eating way too much when we’re on the go. Nope, you just have to be smart about it. To cut down on portions, order a kid’s meal. The size is closer to a proper portion size for adults and will probably satisfy your hunger. Abstain from up-sizing combos and choose water instead of sugary sodas. Depending on what you order, you can save half as leftovers and turn it into a second proper portion for the next day. This won’t work with drive-thru burgers, but you may be able to get away with it with other takeout dishes, pizza, and sub sandwiches. So eat a smaller portion. Not only will it save you a bit of money, if will help your waistline and your body by cutting down on fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and sugars.