Also looking at adults, David Cutler and colleagues
argue that the mushrooming of fastfood
restaurants is just part and parcel of an
overall change in technology, with tastier
treats becoming available at lower cost and
greater convenience.54 They point to snacking
as the key source of increased energy intake
for adults. As noted, though, there is little
evidence for a direct effect of snacking on
children’s obesity. The change in the food
market that remains in play, however, is portion
size. As noted, all but the youngest children
will eat more when offered larger portions.55
Looking at convenience foods (both
fast foods and other foods packaged for single-serving
consumption), Lisa Young and
Marion Nestle document increases in portion
sizes.56 For 181 products they can identify
the date when portion sizes were increased.
Throughout the 1970s portion sizes of those
products increased rarely—fewer