Abstract
In attempting to respond to current public concerns about nutrition when creating its health education program, the New American Plate, the American Institute for Cancer Research found it necessary to emphasize the importance of portion size. Justifiable concern about overweight and obesity and as yet unproved ideas about weight management were causing people to distort the shape of their diet. The focus of the new education program was reduction of cancer risk through a predominantly plant-based diet. To ensure a cancer-protective proportion of plant food to animal food, the American Institute for Cancer Research had to expound gradual reduction of portion size, accompanied by increased exercise as the primary means of weight management.