Monday, November 17, 2008

Baby Tip: Portion Control

The September 2008 issue of Parents magazine compares adult and child portions, saying even children are "tricked" by large portions. It says, "In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 5- and 6-year-olds ate 34 percent more calories when they were given a super-size serving."

The chart they provide includes the following food comparisons:

Breakfast Cereal

Parents: 1 cup
Preschoolers: 1/2 cup
Toddlers: 1/3 cup


Fruit Juice
Parents: 1 cup
Preschoolers: 6 ounces
Toddlers: 4 ounces


Mac and Cheese
Parents: 1 cup
Preschoolers: 1/2 cup
Toddlers: 1/3 cup


Vanilla Wafers
Parents: 6 cookies
Preschoolers: 3 cookies
Toddlers: 2 cookies


*To see information from the American Academy of Pediatrics on dietary guidelines during pregnancy and for every age group from birth to 18, check out http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/obesity/aaprecommendations.cfm.

*And the next link provides tips for maintaining a healthy weight in childhood: http://www.mfhs.org/nutrition_article.asp.

Portion Control CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/healthyweight/healthy_eating/portion_size.htm

Portion Distortion Quiz: http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

1 comment:

Troy and Nancee Tegeder said...

We still need to get together and make trail mix soon.