Large Meal Portions Raise Cancer Risk
Excerpt by Patricia Reaney, Reuters Health

"Portion distortion" is increasing waistlines and raising the risk of developing cancer, health experts said.

From fast food outlets in Mexico and Brazil to restaurants in Singapore and grocery stores in Britain, the size of food portions, chocolate bars and beverages has expanded, along with the size of the people who eat them.

Consumers may think they are getting a bargain with super-sized meals but Professor Philip James, chairman of the London-based International Obesity Task Force, said they are piling on the pounds and increasing their odds of suffering from common cancers.

"Excess weight gain now seems to be fundamentally linked to a range of cancer," he told a news conference.

The trend for value-added meals -- bigger portions for a small increase in price -- started in the United States, where 64 percent of the people are overweight and 30 percent are obese, and is taking hold around the world.

In Britain alone, there are about 9,000 new cases of cancer each year arising from the impact of weight gain, according to James. Cancer of the breast, womb, ovary, bowel and prostate are thought to be related to weight gain.

"Unwittingly the food industry, by going for a super-marketing process, has contributed substantially to the problem," said James, adding that children are particularly at risk.

"We are getting fatter, faster," he said.

Since 1982, the standard size of a hamburger has increased 112 percent. Bagels are 95 percent bigger than they were two decades ago and servings of pasta have gone up 480 percent. Cookies, once bite-sized, now resemble a discus or Frisbee.

"Between 1980 and the present, portion size ballooned and so did people," said Dr Jeffrey Prince, of World Cancer Research Fund International.

"These two trends occurred simultaneously. Common sense tells you there must be a connection," he added.

As portion size increased since 1984 in the United States there has been a 40 percent rise in the proportion of people who are overweight and a 112 percent in those who are obese, according to U.S. government figures.

"We're talking about 131 million Americans who are overweight and 61.3 million who are obese," said Prince.

The health experts urged consumers to fight the big food trap by selecting smaller portions when given the option or ordering two starters, or appetizers, instead of a main course.

Nutritionist Paula Hunt encouraged consumers to ask for smaller portions in restaurants or to eat half of what is on the plate and to take the remainder home.

"Most weigh loss success stories center around reduced portion sizes. It's a simple fact, if you eat less, you'll lose excess weight," she added.

Reference Source 89

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