Downsizing our dinner

But Americans apparently eat more than the French - and the single most important determinant of meal intake is how much is served. The research of this team of social scientists showed that American portion sizes are generally larger than in France.

Portion sizes in fast food chains and restaurants in both countries were on average 25 per cent larger in America. Individual portion foods in supermarkets also tended to be larger in America than in France. Even recipes in cookbooks assumed larger per-person servings in America than in France (except for vegetables, where French per-person servings were larger).

So perhaps one reason for the low prevalence of obesity in France is simply that the French eat less (except for vegetables). There is a cultural difference between France and America in what is considered a “normal” serve or portion.

This conclusion is consistent with what nutrition scientists have known for years - probably the most reliable way for individuals to lose weight is to eat less. One recommended way of doing this is to use a smaller plate or dish, fooling the eye so that a less-than-usual serving doesn’t appear so diminished.

Where does Australia fit in the comparison between different serving sizes in France and America? Possibly somewhere between the two - if yoghurt is a representative example. An American single-serve container of yoghurt has a capacity of 227g, while in France it is 125g and in Australia it is 200g.

So here is a possible solution to the problem of increasing obesity in Australia - smaller portions in smaller packages. Food manufacturers - indeed, the whole food industry - could downsize.

It’s an idea from left field but it’s not unrealistic. After all, we survived the change from pounds to dollars and from imperial to metric measurements. All it needs is for governments to divert funds from nutrition education - which clearly has not succeeded in reducing levels of obesity - and redirect them to a new and potentially more promising solution to the obesity problem.