Serving size guidance for consumers: is it effective?

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nutrition
• Consumer Behavior Studies
• Food Policy and Regulation

Background:

• Increasing portion sizes (PS) are linked to overeating and rising obesity rates globally.
• There is a significant lack of data on the effectiveness of serving size (SS) guidance in public health initiatives.
• Understanding consumer perception and adherence to SS guidance is crucial for effective dietary interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate worldwide serving size (SS) guidance schemes.
• To assess consumer understanding, usability, and acceptability of SS guidance.
• To identify barriers affecting consumer uptake and adherence to SS recommendations.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of 87 worldwide serving size (SS) guidance schemes identified through targeted and untargeted searches.
• Analysis of existing literature on consumer understanding, behavior, and barriers related to portion size (PS) and SS guidance.
• Synthesis of data regarding the impact of SS guidance on consumer choices and eating habits.

Main Results:

• Identified SS guidance schemes often convey inconsistent and conflicting messages regarding portion size (PS) selection.
• Consumers struggle to understand terms like 'portion size' and 'serving size,' frequently used interchangeably, and prefer household measures over weights.
• Limited studies show equivocal results on the direct impact of SS guidance on consumer behavior, with significant barriers to adherence.

Conclusions:

• Current serving size (SS) guidance lacks clarity and consistency, hindering consumer understanding and adoption.
• Barriers such as exposure to larger portion sizes (PS), distorted norms, and language issues impede adherence.
• Further research is essential to develop more understandable, usable, and acceptable SS guidance for improved public health outcomes.