- A new survey reports that most consumers don’t know the difference between “serving size” and “serving size,” though many mistakenly believe they do.
- “Serving size” is defined as how much a person chooses to eat or drink. “Serving size” is based on a standardized amount of food or drink that is established through research on the eating habits of adults and children.
- Understanding the difference between serving size and serving size can help you better control your diet and make more informed decisions about the amounts of food you eat during a meal.
When you’re shopping or planning your next meal, do you know the difference between “serving size” and “serving size”? If you confuse the two or think they are the same, you are not alone.
a new poll from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) reveals that while most consumers think they know the difference between the terms, they actually don’t.
What is the difference?
Ali Webster, PhD, RD, director of Nutrition and Research Communications at IFIC, told Healthline that “serving size and serving size are like siblings. They have a lot in common, but they are also unique.
He said serving size is defined as how much “you personally choose to eat or drink,” while “serving size is based on a standardized amount that people typically eat or drink, based on research done on eating habits of adults and children”.
“We often come across serving size information when looking at packaged foods; it’s right there on the nutrition facts label. Over time, it seems that a lot of people have internalized that information as a recommendation about how much to eat when that’s not necessarily the case,” Webster explained.
“To illustrate, our research shows that regardless of the type of food, nearly half say they try to eat close to the serving size listed on the package at least some of the time,” he said.
He added that “it is clear that more effective communication is needed about the differences between these terms and how they can be applied to our eating habits.”
The poll published today uses data from interviews with 1,000 adults, ages 18 and older, conducted November 4-9, 2021.
It found that 9 out of 10 people reported having “at least some understanding of ‘serving size’ and ‘serving size,'” according to IFIC.
For one of the questions, participants were asked to identify “which statements best align with your understanding of serving size?” followed by a blank space of “serving size is ___.”
They found that:
- 48% said “serving size is based” “on a standardized amount of food or drink that people typically consume in one sitting.”
- 46% said it is “defined by the food company that creates the product.”
- 39% said it is “defined by dieticians and health professionals.”
- 33% said it is “defined by government agencies” such as the FDA.
- 33% said it’s “how much of a food or drink you choose to eat in one sitting.”
These numbers are very similar to how people define serving sizes. The survey found that:
- 48% said it is “based on a standardized amount of food or drink that people typically consume at one sitting.”
- 45% said it’s “how much of a food or drink you choose to eat in one sitting.”
- 44% said it is “defined by dieticians and health professionals.”
- 32% said it is “defined by the food company that creates the product.”
- 29% said it is “defined by government agencies” such as the FDA.
After these questions, the participants received precise definitions of the difference between the two terms. After reading the definitions, nearly two out of three said they “gained a better understanding” of the two topics.
“When we gave respondents even the most basic definitions of these terms, two out of three said they understood more about serving sizes and portion sizes. This is a great example of both the need for nutrition professionals to help people understand more about their food choices and that the message doesn’t need to be overly complicated,” said Webster.
He noted that a key distinction to keep in mind is the fact that the serving size will be “the same for everyone looking at the package. The label says what it says.”
“But that amount may not match the amount You do you want to eat or how much need eat to feel satisfied,” she added. “Practically, you can think of it this way: Use the serving size to learn more about the nutritional attributes of the product, and use your own hunger cues, health goals, and personal preferences to find the right serving size for you.”
In another part of the survey, about half of those surveyed said they “try to eat close to the serving size listed on the package.” Also, most people said that when looking for “serving size” information, they look for the “serving size” on the packaging.
Why is it so important to know the difference between the two terms?
amber pankoninMS, RD, LMNT, a registered dietitian and personal chef, told Healthline that it’s important to know the difference “because the Nutrition Facts information is based on a single serving.”
“If your serving size is larger than the serving size, it can be easy to underestimate how many calories or nutrition you’re actually getting,” she explained.
Webster added that “it’s important not to let the serving size of a product dictate how much you think they should be eating.
“I think this is a huge misconception: that serving size is essentially a recipe for the ‘right’ amount to eat or drink,” Webster said.
“Serving size can be a useful benchmark, but how much you choose to eat (your serving size) should be personalized based on hunger cues, individual health goals, and other factors unique to you,” He said.
Pankonin added that these two terms can work well together.
“The Nutrition Facts label on a product can be a great guide to choosing the right serving size for you,” he said. “Serving size is the amount you choose to consume. The biggest difference is that you can control your serving size or how much you choose to eat, but the serving size will be consistent on the Nutrition Facts label.”
In the survey, most respondents reported weight control as the most important reason behind their desire to pay attention to portion sizes.
In the survey, 36 percent of respondents said it “helps control my weight,” while 30 percent said it “helps me avoid eating too much of certain foods.”
At the other end of the spectrum, 17 percent said they don’t pay attention to portion sizes at all.
To help manage portion sizes, people try a variety of methods, according to the survey.
This includes the 34 percent of respondents who said they “try to eat more slowly,” an additional 34 percent who said “I stop eating when I feel full, even if there is still food on my plate,” and the 32 percent cent said “I use smaller plates.” /bowls to reduce my portion size”, among other answers.
Among people who don’t pay attention to portion sizes, 71 percent said it’s because “I don’t want to be too specific or put limits on how much I eat or drink.”
Other reasons included 33 percent who cited that “not wasting food is more important than having the right portion size.”
Finally, when given a choice between a larger food container and a less cost-effective option of a single-serving container package, most would opt for the larger container.
When asked how understanding these two terms affects nutrition, Pankonin said that as a nutrition instructor, she strives to clarify these terms with her students in a Basic Nutrition course she teaches.
“Most students are surprised when they compare the serving size on a Nutrition Facts label to the serving size they would normally eat,” he said.
For his part, Webster said that “choosing the right portion size is a key part of following a healthy eating pattern.”
He explained that this is especially important when consuming “less nutrient-dense foods and beverages,” which tend to be “high in calories, added sugars and sodium, for example.”
Webster has some tips on how to apply all this knowledge when shopping or planning a meal.
“Before you shop for groceries or plan meals, consider your health preferences and goals and how they relate to your food choices. You may want to compare typical serving sizes of different foods with amounts suggested by nutrition and health professionals, which can be easily found online,” she said.
“If that seems too stressful, think about what portion sizes different foods make you most satisfied with and how often you eat them, then consider both when you make your shopping list,” she said.
He added that many packaged foods and beverages come in various sizes, including single-serving packaging.
“In addition to helping us manage portion sizes, these options can be convenient and reduce food waste,” Webster said.
“Choosing smaller packaged versions of things like soft drinks and indulgent snacks can also help reset our view of what appropriate serving sizes should be,” she said, “making it easier over time to eat and drink amounts that promote healthier eating patterns in general”.
.
