You may have heard that swapping out a large entrée plate for a smaller, side dish-sized plate will help you shed pounds. Research has proven that a smaller plate size results in better portion control among adults. The better your portion control, the less calories you consume, and the better your chance of losing weight. This is particularly important for overweight and obese adults. Until recently, no studies confirmed this finding among children. Researchers in Pennsylvania* examined this possibility further, and found that plate size does in fact affect portion control among children. This could therefore impact childhood obesity rates!

Make it a family affair…Be a role model for your family and demonstrate proper portion control:

• Try to avoid serving yourself form large bowls and dishes at the table. Instead, portion out the food onto small, individual plates.
• Eat slowly, and encourage discussion during your meal.
• Aim to eat 4 to 6 small meals per day.
• Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies to ensure you and your family are getting proper nutrition.

Sources:

1. *Bruten, Yasmeen, Adam Davey, Katherine DiSantis, et al. “Plate Size and Children’s Appetite: Effects of Larger Dishware on Self-Served Portions and Intake.” Pediatrics. 8 Apr. 2013.
2. FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org