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The survey reveals that over half (57%) of parents use ‘visual estimation’ when deciding how much food to serve themselves, while only 15% measure their portions and just 14% follow package instructions.

When thinking about how much their children should eat, 51% of parents judge portion sizes based on how much their children usually eat and 16% say they let their children serve their own portions.

According to the survey one fifth (20%) of parents say they eat until they are full, while 12% say they often eat a little bit more after they’re full to finish off what’s on their plate.

In relation to their children, over a third (37%) of parents always or often make their children eat everything on their plate, and a further 23% sometimes insist their children finish everything they are served.

Bridget Benelam, nutrition communications manager at BNF, said: “Being aware appropriate portion sizes of different types of food for adults and for children of different ages, can be a helpful way to get the balance of the diet right for ourselves and our children.

“In England, about a quarter of adults are living with obesity (25.9%) and 37.9% are classified as overweight, while over a fifth (22.1%) of 10-11 year-old children are classified as living with obesity. Research has shown that large portions of food encourage both adults and children to eat more. So getting portion sizes right is an important element of having a balanced diet that supports a healthy body weight.

“As a rule, children need portion sizes that reflect their body size and calorie requirements. So, we’re encouraging parents to check the portion sizes they are serving to their children. One way to get an idea of proportions is to compare yours and your child’s hands.”