# Standardizing Portion Sizes

> **NIH NIH R34** · KAISER FOUNDATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $226,309

## Abstract

Abstract
 This application is for a planning grant to develop an RCT to test the impact of standardized portions in
away-from home settings. Given that restaurants all serve different portions and generally serve more food
than most customers can burn, making portions standardized and predictable could help millions of Americans
control how much they eat and reduce their risk for overweight and obesity. We plan to establish what standard
portion sizes should be for different items; develop practical methods by which restaurants could adopt these
standard portions, and develop and test recruitment methods and measurement of participants. The
establishment of standardized portion sizes will serve as an aspirational benchmark for the food industry to
comply with recommendations from the USDHHS/USDA Dietary Guidelines of Americans) and will provide
guidance for consumers. An implementation plan, informed by restaurateurs and consumers, is necessary for
a rigorous RCT, which would need to enroll many restaurants and their customers. In this planning grant our
specific aims are: 1) Develop a consensus among health and nutrition experts as to what the standardized
portion amounts should be and how they should be measured (e.g. weights, volumes, and relevance of
calories). 2) Pilot test and refine a training in three varied restaurants [Locando Del Lago (Italian), El Cholo
(Mexican) and Li’l Dizzy’s (Creole)] to examine feasibility and adherence to the recommended standards. 3)
Pilot recruitment methods for customers, assess response rates and perceptions of standardized portions, and
pilot 24-hour dietary recall methods. Once these aims have been accomplished, we will be able to prepare for
a rigorous RCT to determine the impact of standardized portions sizes on diet, and specifically on how
standard portions will influence the consumption of nutrients of consequence to cardiovascular health,
especially reducing exposure to refined grains, starches, sugars, processed meats, high sodium foods, and
increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, vegetable oils, nuts, low-fat dairy, and whole grains.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10151434
- **Project number:** 7R34HL149135-02
- **Recipient organization:** KAISER FOUNDATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Deborah A Cohen
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $226,309
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2020-06-11 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10151434

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10151434, Standardizing Portion Sizes (7R34HL149135-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10151434. Licensed CC0.

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