“The size of the plate actually has something to do with the perception of how much food you’re going to intake – so the larger the plate, the more food that’s put on it, and the more you want to tend to eat.”
– Dr. Lonny Horowitz
We’re all aware of the obesity epidemic sweeping across the land. Obesity rates are topping the scales in the last decades – for adults and kids, alike. For years, people have been looking for easy ways to lose weight: fad diets, shakes and pills. But according to a study, weight loss may be as simple as using a smaller plate.
In a classroom in Southern California, kids and parents are asked to “pour out what you think you would eat.”
The lesson today: how big is a single serving?
The kids guess: 71 Cheetos, 16 Oreo cookies and 37 potato chips.
“Right there, okay, is 800 calories,” the instructor says. “Some of us should not have that many calories in a day!”
According to a study from Rutgers University, portion sizes have grown by as much as 50 percent in the past 20 years.
At the same time, average plate sizes have grown from ten inches to twelve inches.
Dr. Lonny Horowitz explains the correlation: “The size of the plate actually has something to do with the perception of how much food you’re going to intake – so the larger the plate, the more food that’s put on it, and the more you want to tend to eat.”
He says for years parents have taught their kids not to waste food.
“Mom told us that you got to make your plate clean before you’re going to have dessert – so now, everybody tries to clean their plate.”
17-year-old Ricky knows the drill. “Yeah, I have to eat all my vegetables and everything I have on my plate before I can leave,” he says.
18-year-old Soloman says that food was never an issue: “yeah, I’d eat whatever was put in front of me, pretty much.”
His friend, Kyle, agrees. “Yeah,” he says, “and then I’d normally go back for more, too.”
That’s why experts say kids need to slow down and pay attention to their bodies.
Teach them: when they’re full, stop eating.
“The truth of the matter is, if you feel like you’re getting full then stop eating,” says Horowitz. “You know, I think we have to get over that whole premise that ‘there are children starving in Biafra.’ We do really have to get over that.”
What We Need To Know
Weight loss became an issue for 18.1 percent of adolescents (5 percent in 1980) and childhood obesity increased to 19.6 percent among 6 to 11 years olds (6.5 percent in 1980), according to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We are all aware of the obesity epidemic sweeping across the United States where the adult obesity rates jumped in the last decades, but the most disturbing fact is that our children are making up a significant percentage of the obesity problem.
Body mass index (BMI) uses height and weight measurements to estimate how much body fat a person has. An easy way to measure BMI is to use a BMI calculator. Once you know your child’s BMI, it can be plotted on a standard BMI chart. Kids fall into one of four categories:
- underweight: BMI below the 5th percentile
- normal weight: BMI at the 5th and less than the 85th percentile
- overweight: BMI at the 85th and below 95th percentiles
- obese: BMI at or above 95th percentile
BMI is not a perfect measure of body fat and can be misleading in some situations. For example, a muscular person may have a high BMI without being overweight (because extra muscle adds to a body weight — but not fatness). In addition, BMI may be difficult to interpret during puberty when kids are experiencing periods of rapid growth. It’s important to remember that BMI is usually a good indicator — but is not a direct measurement — of body fat.
If you’re worried that your child or teen may be overweight, make an appointment with your doctor, who can assess eating and activity habits and make suggestions on how to make positive changes. The doctor may also decide to screen for some of the medical conditions that can be associated with obesity.
Experts recommend the following weight management strategies:
- Eat breakfast. Research shows most people who have lost more than 60 pounds and kept it off for six years do eat breakfast.
- Make a rule that no one in the family can eat while watching television. It’s hard for kids to realize how much they are eating when they’re absorbed in a television program.
- Find ways to get the entire family more active. Have everyone in the family wear a pedometer – and compete to see who can take the most steps during the day. If the child wins, reward them with a fun activity. If the child loses, assign them an active chore.
- Do not make your family give up foods they love. Instead, find healthier ways to prepare these foods. For example, frozen French fries can be baked instead of fried. Cheesecake or macaroni and cheese can be made with a low-fat cheese. Take a cooking class, to get your family excited about healthy recipes.
- Teach kids to exercise portion control when eating out. Since most portions at restaurants are double what they should be, encourage kids to take half home, or to share with another person.
- Calories are calories. It doesn’t matter where they come from. Keep portion size in mind, regardless of you’re eating a salad or junk food.
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