Direct Response: Restaurants Join Obesity Fight

As consumers become increasingly concerned about obesity and the health risks associated with nutrition, many seek more information about restaurant foods. American families are estimated to spend as much as half of their food dollars at restaurants and to consume about one third of their calories outside the home.

One U.S. senator is pushing a bill to require chain restaurants to list nutritional information for all menu items. Although this law has not been passed, your city would like to encourage restaurants to offer more nutritious menu choices.

Assume that you work for Partners for a Healthier Community (PHC), which is part of the City Health and Human Services Department. PHC has been working on a program called Healthy Dining. Its goal is to offer food establishments the opportunity to be recognized as Healthy Dining restaurants. In order to be listed, owners must meet certain criteria.

A PHC team devoted to the Healthy Dining program discussed a number of requirements. The team thought that restaurants ought to offer at least two choices of fruits or vegetables. They wanted choices other than potato dishes. The team was much opposed to french fries. What could be substituted for them? Perhaps salads? In regard to the menu, the team thought that Healthy Dining restaurants should have some low-fat and low-calorie menu items, and when they are offered, customers should know what they are. However, no minimum on the number of such items would be required. The team also thought that Healthy Dining restaurants should try to provide at least some dishes in smaller portion sizes or perhaps half portions. Milk was discussed, and team members suggested that restaurants move away from offering whole milk. Team members preferred 1 percent or skim milk when milk was offered as a beverage.

The team gave you the task of drafting a letter to restaurant owners who inquired about the Health Dining rating.

Your Task. Prepare a response letter to be sent to owners who want to know how to earn the Healthy Dining rating for their restaurants. Explain the goal of the Healthy Dining program, and show the requirements in a bulleted list. Address the first letter as a response to Mr. Adrian Hammersmith, Adrian's Steak House, 974 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060. Explain that an application form and additional information are available at http://www.healthydining.com.