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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts


How Much Do You Know About Portion Sizes?

By Chris Woolston
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVE

The next time you buy a large popcorn at the movies, consider saving the tub. After you wipe it clean, the neighborhood kids can use it as a fort. Here's another tip: When enjoying a muffin at your favorite coffee shop, be sure to lift with your legs, not your back. From family restaurants to theaters to the frozen food aisle, portion sizes are expanding at an alarming rate. Not coincidentally, so is the typical American waistline. For all of the current talk about fats and carbohydrates, portion sizes may be the real cause of the obesity epidemic. How much do you know about healthy portions in a super-sized world? Take this short quiz to find out.


1. On average, Americans consume more daily calories than they did 35 years ago. How much more?

a. About 10 calories
b. About 50 calories
c. About 200 calories
d. About 500 calories

2. It's almost impossible for most people to eat just one portion if there's more on their plates. True or False?

True
False

3. The Lumberjack Slam Breakfast at Denny's -- including three buttermilk pancakes, ham, two bacon strips, two sausages, two eggs, bread, and a side of hash browns -- weighs in at how many calories?

a. 800 calories
b. 1,000 calories
c. 1,140 calories
d. 1,500 calories

4. The USDA recommends adults eat two to three servings from the "meat group" (which includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dry beans, and nuts) every day. How large is a "serving" of meat?

a. About the size of a deck of cards (two to three ounces)
b. About the size of a dinner plate
c. About the size of a Tolstoy novel, large print edition
d. About the size of a manhole cover

5. According to a recent survey, which of these restaurant items makes the biggest mockery of the USDA's idea of a "serving"?

a. Cooked pasta
b. Chocolate chip cookie
c. Steak
d. Hamburger

6. Which of these steps can help you avoid overloading on calories?

a. Chew slowly
b. Drink plenty of water
c. Eat healthy snacks throughout the day
d. Stay the heck away from the typical family-restaurant entree, unless you share it with a friend or get a doggie bag.
e. All of the above



First published Jan 27, 2003


Last updated Jul 24, 2007


Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive, a CVS Caremark company