• July 27, 2011

Consumers in general -- and Gen X-ers in particular -- are increasingly aware of the importance of portion control in healthy lifestyles, according to new research from The NPD Group.

For a report on healthy eating strategies by generation, NPD asked consumers of different generations to rank the importance of 30 healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors and attributes.

Consumers overall ranked eating smaller portions 11th. The five top-ranked characteristics across all consumers were exercising regularly, eating well-balanced meals, eating all things in moderation, limiting/avoiding foods with saturated and trans fats or cholesterol, and drinking at least eight glasses of water per day.

Among Generation X respondents (age 35 to 45), Eating smaller portions was ranked 7th in importance among Gen X respondents (age 35 to 45), eighth among Gen Y respondents, and 12th among younger Boomers (46 to 54). Those in older generations ranked portion control lowest, apparently because older people tend to have lesser appetites and are less likely to overindulge in any case.

Forty-three percent of the more than 5,000 adults surveyed indicated that they ate smaller portions "always" or most of the time during the past year. Fully 57% reported aspiring to eating smaller portions in the coming year.