How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers
Abstract Objective: The high availability of energy-dense nutrient-poor discretionary foods in large serving and package sizes may have shifted portion size norms (described as a typical perception of how much people choose to eat from a given food at a single eating occasion) towards larger sizes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024001964/type/journal_article |
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| author | Qingzhou Liu Leanne Wang Margaret Allman-Farinelli Anna Rangan |
| author_facet | Qingzhou Liu Leanne Wang Margaret Allman-Farinelli Anna Rangan |
| author_sort | Qingzhou Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
The high availability of energy-dense nutrient-poor discretionary foods in large serving and package sizes may have shifted portion size norms (described as a typical perception of how much people choose to eat from a given food at a single eating occasion) towards larger sizes. Few public health recommendations exist around appropriate discretionary food portion sizes. This qualitative study aimed to explore the underlying rationale of portion size norms of discretionary foods among Australian adults 18–65 years.
Design:
Four focus group sessions were conducted. Collected data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Setting:
Focus groups were held online via Zoom between September and October 2023.
Participants:
Thirty-four participants were recruited in the study (mean age 38 years, 19 females).
Results:
The key themes raised from inductive analysis were personal factors, eating context factors and food environment factors relevant to the portion size norms. A framework was established to illustrate the interaction across these themes during the conceptualisation of the norms. For serving size availability, consumers found that there were limited serving size choices when making portion size selections and lacked the knowledge and skills in portion control.
Conclusions:
These findings highlight the need to make positive changes to the current food environment and develop relevant public health guidelines around appropriate portion sizes to promote healthier portion size norms and enable better portion control.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a1bdd19fd084a78824add601d6cf763 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a1bdd19fd084a78824add601d6cf7632024-11-25T03:17:19ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272024-01-012710.1017/S1368980024001964How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumersQingzhou Liu0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5778-9159Leanne Wang1Margaret Allman-Farinelli2Anna Rangan3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1815-844XSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaCharles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Abstract Objective: The high availability of energy-dense nutrient-poor discretionary foods in large serving and package sizes may have shifted portion size norms (described as a typical perception of how much people choose to eat from a given food at a single eating occasion) towards larger sizes. Few public health recommendations exist around appropriate discretionary food portion sizes. This qualitative study aimed to explore the underlying rationale of portion size norms of discretionary foods among Australian adults 18–65 years. Design: Four focus group sessions were conducted. Collected data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Setting: Focus groups were held online via Zoom between September and October 2023. Participants: Thirty-four participants were recruited in the study (mean age 38 years, 19 females). Results: The key themes raised from inductive analysis were personal factors, eating context factors and food environment factors relevant to the portion size norms. A framework was established to illustrate the interaction across these themes during the conceptualisation of the norms. For serving size availability, consumers found that there were limited serving size choices when making portion size selections and lacked the knowledge and skills in portion control. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to make positive changes to the current food environment and develop relevant public health guidelines around appropriate portion sizes to promote healthier portion size norms and enable better portion control. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024001964/type/journal_articleConsumer behaviourNormPortion sizeDiscretionary food |
| spellingShingle | Qingzhou Liu Leanne Wang Margaret Allman-Farinelli Anna Rangan How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers Public Health Nutrition Consumer behaviour Norm Portion size Discretionary food |
| title | How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers |
| title_full | How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers |
| title_fullStr | How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers |
| title_full_unstemmed | How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers |
| title_short | How big is too big? A qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among Australian consumers |
| title_sort | how big is too big a qualitative study of discretionary food portion size norms among australian consumers |
| topic | Consumer behaviour Norm Portion size Discretionary food |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024001964/type/journal_article |
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