(P21-003-23) Feasibility and Acceptability of Standardized Portions for Restaurants

Objectives: Given that restaurants all serve different portions and the majority serve more calories than most customers can burn, making portions standardized and predictable could help millions of Americans control how much they eat and reduce their risk of overweight and obesity. Our goals were: 1) To develop standardized portions for use in restaurants, 2) to assess feasibility and acceptability of alternative menus that serve appropriate amounts of food ( < 700 calories/meal)

Methods: We created a white paper outlining methods for standardized portions based on components of a meal, limiting total calories of a meal to 700 and establishing serving quantities based on weight and volume, requiring only kitchen scales and measuring cups. We recruited three restaurants to test the feasibility and acceptability of the standard portions concept and surveyed customers on their interest in standardized portions. Participating restaurants then developed alternative menus using the Balanced Portions logo. We offered patrons gift cards to provide feedback and 24-hour dietary recalls for the day they ate in the restaurant and the day after. We trained the restaurant staff how to plate the appropriate portions. We offered restaurant incentives for participation including payment for training and menu development and purchases of gift cards to give to customers. We also paid to print the new menus.

Results: While 30% of customers said they worried about overeating all or most of the time when dining out, 69% said they would like the option to choose appropriately portioned foods. Based upon dietary recalls for the day they dined out, customers who ordered from the Balanced Portions Menu had a higher heathy eating index (HEI) than those who did not (75.1 vs 53.5). To date the participating restaurants have decided to continue offering the Balanced Portions menu even after the study ends; other restaurants have expressed interested in participating.

Conclusions: It is feasible to recruit restaurants to participate and to expand adoption of standardized portions. If more restaurants and a larger number of customers participate in the evaluation it will be possible to measure the full impact of making standardized portions available to consumers. This small pilot demonstrates both feasibility and acceptability of standardized portions in restaurants.

Funding Sources: NHLBI