Background: The 2011-12 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS) demonstrates that approximately 35% of total daily energy comes from discretionary foods. Compelling evidence has associated increasing portion sizes of foods, particularly those energy dense and nutrient poor foods, with excess energy intake, overweight and obesity, and development of chronic diseases.
Objectives: To examine the typical portion sizes of commonly consumed discretionary foods and beverages in Australian adults, and to compare these data with the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) standard serve.
Methods: Typical portion sizes are defined as the amounts of foods or beverages consumed at one eating occasion. Age-and sex-specific median portion sizes and interquartile range (grams) of adults aged 19 years and over (n=9341) were analysed using 24hour recall data from the 2011-12 NNPAS. Energy per median portion (kJ) was compared to ADG standard serve (600kJ) for discretionary foods.
Results: A total of 55 discretionary foods and beverages were examined. Significant sex-and age-differences in typical portion sizes were found for 47% of foods studied, with larger portion sizes being consumed by males and younger adults. Energy per median portion of sweet biscuits, chocolate, potato crisps, luncheon meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages were within ±25% of the 600kJ standard serve. In contrast, energy per median portion of cakes, muffins and buns, ice-cream, potato fries, sweet and savoury pastries, sausages, battered fish and chicken, hamburgers, pizza, and alcoholic drinks exceeded the 600kJ standard serve by 240-2500kJ (40-417%). Sugar, spreads, sauces and butter that are generally not consumed alone had portion sizes smaller than the 600kJ standard serve.
Conclusions: Our results indicate large portion sizes are currently the norm, and highlight the importance of targeting discretionary foods in obesity and chronic disease prevention and management among the Australian population.