Combatting Obesity in the Business Community

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Franco, E. L., & Shinder, G. A. (2013). Combatting obesity-a helping hand from the business community. Preventive medicine, 57(4), 251-252.

As rates of obesity and its associated comorbidities continue to rise in the United States, it is crucial that preventative measures be taken to combat this issue. An article from Preventative Medicine discusses the need for businesses to take an active role in obesity prevention. Many restaurants have already made changes, such as posting nutrition information on menus and offering more “healthy” options.  Other restaurants have resisted making nutrition information so easily accessible, in fear of losing revenue. Businesses have an opportunity to make healthy choices available and known to their customers, in turn empowering and motivating them toward a healthier lifestyle. Preventative Medicine discusses a food labeling strategy that was used in a Boston, Massachusetts’s hospital cafeteria, implementing traffic light labels to categorize menu items based on nutritional info. Customers were encouraged to choose the healthier green-labeled items and to choose the red labeled items less often. This simple strategy is something that could be recreated in other food service settings such as school cafeterias, vending machines, and even fast food restaurants. As dietitians, it is important that we push for the adoption of creative strategies like this, which empower our clients while simultaneously making a positive impact on the health of our nation.  

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