Could downsizing be on the up?

Researchers in America claim to have found an alternative to calorie counts in the fight to get the nation to cut back on what it eats – downsizing portions.

The idea follows research carried out a Chinese fast food restaurant – Panda Express in Durham, North Carolina – in which customers were given the option of downsizing their side dishes to a smaller portion.

The study found that 14% to 33% of restaurant goers took up the offer, and they did so whether or not they were given a nominal 25% discount.

Published in the American medical journal Health Affairs, the research also revealed that those who accepted smaller portions did not compensate by ordering more calories in their entrées, and the total calories served to them were, on average, reduced by more than 200.

It also found that accepting the downsizing offer did not change the amount of uneaten food left at the end of the meal, so the calorie savings during purchasing translated into calorie savings during consumption.

The study’s authors carried out the research after it was revealed calorie labelling in US fast food restaurants have had little or no obvious impact on calorie consumption to date.

Do you offer smaller portions on your menu? Are you seeing an increase in uptake and, if so, do you think it's because customers are calorie counting? Let us know by clicking here.