WEST VIRGINIA COMPANY RECEIVES TRADEMARK FOR INNOVATIVE HEALTH TOOL
MORGANTOWN, WV – Partners in Corporate Health, Inc., (PCH) a Morgantown, WV health promotion company, has been awarded a U.S. Trademark for their Portion Plate™. This unique serving plate is an interactive tool for teaching consumers appropriate food portions.
“Unlike brochures and magazine articles, the Portion Plate™ offers a tangible demonstration of how much food we should eat,” says Gary Sams, CEO, Partners in Corporate Health, Inc. “We are very excited that our innovative design has been awarded a trademark and believe that it is a valuable tool in the fight against obesity.”
The first series of plates were designed as a custom incentive for the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency with feedback and guidance from several leading academic researchers and dieticians. Over 10,000 plates have been distributed to PEIA members as of August 2004 with other large orders coming from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, The Episcopal Retirement Homes, Inc. of Ohio, and Cornell University.
The Portion Plate is made of melamine, a dishwasher-safe substance that is light weight and colorful. Not only are the plate's illustrated portion areas a good guide to follow, but the make up of a good meal is also presented. This means that half of the plate should be fruits and vegetables, one quarter of whole grains and the remaining quarter lean protein.
Several important scientific studies over the past two years have confirmed that typical food portions are increasing and that when given larger portions, people will consume them. A recent study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, confirmed that food portions have grown significantly over the past two decades and that this growth trend goes beyond fast-food restaurants to affect meals in homes and other conventional restaurants. (Journal of the American Medical Association, January 2003). Results from this study demonstrate that a typical hamburger grew by 1.3 ounces or 97 calories over that time. Obesity leads to many health risks including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some cancers. Given that over 30 percent of America is obese, portion size can be viewed as a major contributor to this health epidemic.
The plates have been enthusiastically received by organizations such as Mylan Pharmaceuticals, The American Cancer Society, IBM Corporation, and Johns Hopkins University. A Spanish language version of the plate has also been designed for a health agency in Arizona. Many businesses are using the plates to supplement employee wellness programs. Also available are a Portion Plate™ placemat and educational brochure. The front of the placemat includes an image of The Portion Plate along with information offering healthy eating tips, plate comparisons and calorie counters. The brochure contains healthy eating tips and a daily user log.
"The Portion Plate is a simple, but great idea. It is so easy to overload a plate with too much food (waste not want not philosophy instilled in me as a child). The first time I used my Portion Plate, I deliberately chose the smallest piece of salmon, and was amazed that it overflowed on both sides of the plate...hardly room for anything else! So I could SEE instantly that my portions were too big. I am buying one for all my friends."
Helen Porter, McLean Virginia
