Health experts offer advice to curb obesity

Community

Some health experts say communitywide changes are required to curb the obesity epidemic. Among the proposals:

• Label all food, including restaurant food, for nutritional content.

• Remove food-vending machines from schools, offices and public buildings.

• Restrict food advertising.

• Restrict where food can be sold.

• Enact zoning laws to limit fast-food outlets.

• Rate local restaurants on health and nutrition information and portion sizes.

• Counter-advertise to remind people of the harm of overeating and unhealthful eating.

• Ban trans fats.

Personal

Others say that while the environment is a powerful influence on eating, individuals can fight it. Some strategies:

• Keep a food diary to become more aware of what you're eating and how much.

• Use portion-control plates and cups.

• Make one small rule change at a time. For example, drop one favorite, but unhealthful food, for something similar but more healthful, such as air-popped popcorn instead of potato chips.

• Avoid the places where you are most likely to overeat and the people with whom you tend to overeat.

• Use life transitions (such as moving, starting a new job, having a baby) to establish healthier habits that aren't influenced by the old environmental triggers.

• Don't walk by vending machines or drive by fast-food restaurants. Change your routes to keep these cues out of sight.

• Restrict calories during the active phase of dieting and rely on regular exercise during the maintenance phase.

• Think of prevention. Parents should establish healthy eating habits for their children by keeping sodas and most snack foods out of the house, limiting portion sizes and never asking children to finish everything on their plates.

— Shari Roan