How Much Do You
Really Eat?
The average person makes about 200 food decisions
every day, but puts real thought into only about 10% of them. Brian
Wansink, Ph.D. at Cornell University has conducted clever experiments
with things like a bottomless soup bowl and large bags of stale movie
popcorn to reveal hidden dynamics of our dietary habits. The studies
show that it is easy to overeat when we keep reaching into a bag or
container and never see how much we’re really putting into our mouths.
He uses the term ‘mindless eating’ to describe how we overeat due to the
influences of family, friends, packaging,
 plates, labeling, shapes,
distances and containers. If you are going to eat something like chips,
reengineer your environment for mindful eating by removing the amount
you plan to eat from the bag before you start eating.
Changing your “tablescape” may help you significantly reduce your
calorie intake. Wansink found that people perceived they ate more when
eating from a smaller plate or bowl. As the size of the dish or spoon
increased, the size of their servings (and calories) tended to increase.
People tend to eat more when it is convenient. For example, a candy jar
on a desk
 or a serving dish on the dinner table. In order to eat less,
make it less convenient to reach. Place the snack further away from your
desk or place the food in a hard-to-reach cupboard or leave serving
dishes in the kitchen.
Make your environment conducive to healthy mindful eating. Make less
healthy foods inconvenient to eat and promote reasonable portion sizes
through the size and shape of dinnerware.
For more information check out the following web sites:
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Palm Beach County:
Susan V. Grammond, MPH, RD, LD/N
Clinical Coordinator-WIC and Nutrition
Palm Beach County Health Department
800 Clematis Street- Room 5523
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 671-4071 |
