Downsizing Food Portions

Scientific studies show that Americans now eat supersized portions in restaurants and at home.

Restaurants are using bigger plates, bakers are selling larger muffins, and even the cup holders in cars have grown larger to make room for giant drinks.

Studies also show we eat what is put in front of us, regardless of portion size. Study participants consumed 30 percent more calories on days when they were served larger portions. Fewer than half of the respondents noticed the differences in the portions they were served. There is a disconnect between our body's satiety level and when we actually stop eating.

According to a survey published in Sunday's Parade magazine, "What America Eats," the number one diet change Americans are making is eating smaller portions.

Samantha Heller, a clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center, warns on The Saturday Early Show that Americans eat too much food from the grain category, like bread, pasta and rice. We also tend to over-indulge in meats and other fatty foods, such as dairy products, desserts and soda.

It seems that most people just don't know how much to eat.

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends: