030741 Americans Clean Their Plates, No Matter How Full

Washington - Most Americans clean their plates, no matter how full those plates are, according to a survey released on Thursday.

The findings, released by the American Institute for Cancer Research, add to the debate over how much restaurants and fast-food outlets are contributing to the epidemic of obesity in the United States and elsewhere.

The institute's survey found that 69% of those polled finish their meals most or all of the time, even when the portions are huge.

"Fully 30% of Americans now say they generally base the amount of food they eat on the amount they are served," according to the institute, which promotes research on the links between diet and cancer.

"In a country where 64% of us are overweight or obese, there is an alarming tendency to overlook the sheer amount of food we're eating," Dr. Barbara Rolls of Pennsylvania State University said.

The report compiled information from two surveys involving 1,000 adults each. One was conducted in 2000 and the other in 2003.

In 2000, 7% of those surveyed said they ate their entire meal all the time when dining at full-service restaurants. That number rose to 37% in 2003.

"Scientific studies show that people can and do unconsciously consume more calories -- as much as 56% more -- when served larger portions," the institute said.

It cited a study published in 2002 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found in 1955, a single order of fries weighed 2.4 ounces, compared to 7.1 ounces now.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Rolls and her colleagues said people ate 30% more macaroni and cheese when given the largest of four different portions.

Fewer than half of those tested noticed the differences in the portions they were served.

The institute said it also asked people what they believe are the main causes of cancer. The American Cancer Society says smoking is the biggest single cause of cancer and one-third of the 500,000 U.S. cancer deaths every year could be prevented with better diet and exercise.

But the survey found that 79% of Americans believe radiation is a major cause of cancer, 66% believe pesticides on produce are, while 62% blame nuclear power and 49% credit food additives.

Only 36% recognize that lack of exercise can cause cancer, just 33% know that eating too much red meat is strongly linked with cancer and only 38% know that alcohol can cause cancer -- not just liver cancer but also breast cancer

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