"NEW AMERICAN PLATE" AIDS WEIGHT LOSS.

• Position: Dieting advice from American Institute for Cancer Research - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

The latest advice on weight management, from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), is a reminder of something most Americans have forgotten: If you want to lose weight, you have to eat less. "All the fad diets with their high-protein, low-sugar, low-carbohydrate directives have confused people about some basic principles. It's not what you eat, but how much you eat that counts most when it comes to weight reduction," explains Melanie Polk, AICR Director for Nutrition Education.

In a survey conducted for AICR, 78% of adults said just the opposite--that eating certain types of food is more important than eating less food when one is trying to lose weight. Just one percent could answer questions about serving sizes correctly.

In response to this confusion, AICR has created a fresh approach to healthy eating, called "The New American Plate," advising people to focus on both proportion and portion size when preparing meals at home or ordering them at restaurants.

What should be on the New American Plate? Nutritionists agree that vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans should cover two-thirds (or more) of the plate. Animal-source foods should cover one-third (or less). Vegetables and fruits provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (natural substances found only in plants) that protect the body's cells from damage by cancer-causing agents. A number of phytochemicals may interfere with cancer cell growth and reproduction as well. Moreover, a diet rich in plant-based food is protective against heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

"The greatest harm done by the fad diets derives from the odd combinations of foods they recommend. They urge people to cut back to a greater or lesser degree on the fruits and vegetables that have been shown to prevent chronic disease. Long-term health is sacrificed to short-term weight loss," Polk points out.

Portion size is the other consideration when preparing the New American Plate. "Foreigners coming to this country express amazement at the amounts of food heaped on American plates. Food adopted from foreign cuisines such as the croissant, bagel, or quesadilla double or triple in size once they reach our shores. Even the traditional American muffin has ballooned from a standard one and a...