One reason why obesity rates are rising is that “normal portions” keep getting larger. When researchers analyzed 52 depictions of The Last Supper that were painted between the years 1000 and 1800, they found that the average plate size increased by 66% (Data from Wansink & Wansink, 2010).
Reprinted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: Wansink, B., & Wansink, C.S., The largest last supper: Depictions of food portions and plate size increased over the millennium.; International Journal of Obesity (34), 2010, 943–
Scala/Art Resource, NY
Scala/Art Resource, NY