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Published this month in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the study investigates the prevalence, determinants and consequences of large portion sizes in children's diets.
It unsurprisingly concluded that children tend to opt for larger portion of energy-dense products such as French fries, meats and potato chips, while choosing vegetable portions that are smaller than recommended amounts.
The findings come in a general environment of heightened concern surrounding the dietary habits of children, and the external forces that influence these.
According to the study, which was drawn from a survey of almost 5,000 Canadian fifth-grade students, some of the major determinants of choosing large portions of energy-dense, low-nutrient-value foods include eating in fast food restaurants, where these larger portions are encouraged, and eating in front of the television, which results in consumption without regard for hunger cues, and which also increases exposure to advertisements for snacks.
Participants in the study were asked to indicate the portion size they usually eat from three-dimensional graduated food models. The food items examined were French fries; meat, fish or chicken; cooked vegetables; and potato chips. These items were chosen to reflect convenience foods as well as more healthful choices, said the researchers.
For French fries, 64 percent of children chose larger portions, while the rest opted for portions equal to or less than recommended sizes, based on American and Canadian guidelines.
Some 78 percent also chose larger meat portions and potato chip portions, while 52 percent of children chose smaller portions of vegetables.
Using the data, the researchers calculated nutrient and energy intakes for each student, including percentage energy from fat, number of servings of fruit and vegetables per day and overall diet quality.
"In the present study we observed distinctly higher energy intakes among children choosing large portions of French fries and potato chips relative to meat and cooked vegetables," they wrote.
"This also highlights the involvement of mechanisms that are in addition to children's energy needs, such as television viewing and family meals. In particular, this suggests that successful marketing of large portions of French fries and potato chips may be at the expense of diet quality and the future health of children."
The researchers stress the importance of school programs, public health initiatives and nutrition education to help expand awareness of the importance of moderation in portion sizes.
Challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve this include the varying individual perception of portion sizes, varying individual lifestyles and dietary needs, and the fact that appropriate portion sizes have not been established for many foods.
"Once these challenges have been addressed, one way to increase awareness and educate people about portion sizes would be to modify food label guidelines so it will be mandatory for manufacturers to indicate the number of servings that are contained in the package in addition to the serving size. This may help the individual judge an appropriate portion based on serving sizes," concludes the study.
