A Computer-Assisted Instructional Program for Teaching Portion Size Versus Serving Size

Abstract

Obesity is becoming an increasingly important community health threat, accounting for more than 300,000 deaths per year in the United States. The cumulative economic impact of obesity and overeating is enormous. Factors contributing to the problem include eating food away from home, consuming large or excessive quantities of soft drinks and snack foods, and large portion sizes. Discriminating between portion and serving sizes and determining the appropriate number of serving sizes to consume on a daily basis are key to maintaining a healthy diet. The purpose of this project was to create a computer-assisted instructional tool delineating serving size from portion size. The tool can be used by health care professionals to provide direct instruction to individuals or as part of a group approach to healthy eating.