| dc.description.abstract | Today, the average restaurant serving size is four times as large as it was in the 1950's, and as a result consumer portion size has increased. The consumption of larger portion sizes is associated with the increased incidence of obesity currently seen in the United States. This study is an observational parameter estimation study that compared the serving sizes of proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy from various casual Fort Worth restaurants to the serving sizes recommended by USDA's MyPlate for each food group measured. Dinner plates including servings of chicken, rice, vegetables, fruit, and milk were obtained as a takeout order at five casual dining restaurants in the Fort Worth area. After weighing and measuring the foods, statistics were used to evaluate serving size among the food groups in comparison to MyPlate which allowed for a possible conclusion to be drawn on whether or not serving size is correlated to obesity in the U.S. population. The results of the study found that for each food group, the mean serving size of the restaurant food always (p<0.05) exceeded the MyPlate recommended serving size. Health conscious consumers, individuals on weight loss/management regimens, as well as patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease may need to restrict or decrease consumption of such large servings (with the exception of healthy fruit/vegetable options) served by restaurants. | |
