York Region suggests you make over-eating a thing of the past

There are a number of factors in people's physical and social environments that can influence how much they eat.

Studies show that sophisticated packaging and other visual cues, such as plate size, can manipulate them into over-eating.

York Region public health nutritionists remind residents to be aware of some of these food temptations. Whether dining out or eating at home, consider some of the following tips to avoid over-indulging:

Size of plates, bowls and cups contribute to how much we eat. The larger the plate or bowl, the more one tends to eat; the shorter and wider the cup, the more one tends to drink.

Distractions during meal time. Research has found that if a person is distracted while eating, especially if they are watching television, they will eat more.

Large variety of food dishes available. Studies have repeatedly found that if there are more dishes of food to choose from, then one will eat more. For example, at a buffet a person is more likely to overload the plate with food from all the different dishes. This behaviour often leads to over-indulgence.

Sophisticated food packaging and marketing. These are strategies used to influence how much people eat. Packaging with mouth-watering graphics and a lot of description leads them to think that the food will taste better than a similar food with plain packaging.

Recognize the visual temptations and modify how much food and beverage you consume. Give your food the full attention that it deserves by keeping distractions to a minimum. Finally, do not feel obligated to try all of the dishes that are presented to you.

For more information on healthy eating or other health-related questions, contact York Region Health Services Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or visit www.york.ca