The solution to your child's obesity problem may stem from the size of their dinner plate. A study done by researchers at Temple University found that first graders served themselves more food when they used a large plate as opposed to a smaller one. As if controlling what your child eats hasn't become an issue on its own, plate sizes have increased, too.
The study was done to see if reducing plate size could affect how much children eat–especially since the theory has been held true for adults. So, did portion control help kids with their food consumption?
The data was conducted at a Pennsylvania school on two classes of first-graders for over eight days. Their cafeteria was set up like a self-serve buffet and offered penne or chicken nuggets, applesauce, and mixed vegetables to the 42 students participating. The buffet alternated between salad sized plates and larger dinner plates and had them weighed before and after the children ate from them.
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The results were astonishing! Time reveals that the days kids consumed food off of bigger plates, they served themselves 90 calories more than when they ate from the salad sized plates. They even ate half of what they served themselves on the bigger plates, but it was STILL higher in calories than if they'd eaten from smaller plates.
Although portion control isn't the only issue with children's food consumption these days, it brings researchers relief to see that it is much easier to change a child's eating habits than they thought. As one of the researchers, Jennifer Orlet Fisher puts it, children are less complicated eaters than adults because they are more likely to eat only when they feel hungry and don't snack mindlessly.
So maybe switching the size of your child's plate may be the solution after all! Who would have thought a move that simple could dramatically reduce the amount of calories they consume on a daily basis? And not only that, but they're excellent pointers for parents as well if they have an issue with their weight and eating habits. Now if only they could find the perfect solution to getting kids to voluntarily eat their veggies…hmm…
Want even more weight loss tips? Check out the MamásLatinas Weight Loss Group!
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