City officials and restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, are unveiling a new plan designed to address the city's growing problem with obesity. The Health Choices Committee is a joint venture of the mayor's office, Columbus Public Health officials, and business executives from Bob Evans Farms Inc., Donatos Pizzeria, LLC, and the Central Ohio Restaurant Association. The group will focus on promoting healthy menus and working with restaurants to provide consumers with nutritional information.

Mayor Michael Coleman said that a driving concern behind the new group is the problem of childhood obesity, which has recently reached "critical proportions." According to city data, more than two of every five kindergartners, third-graders and fifth-graders in Columbus schools are overweight. In addition, three in every five adults in the city are obese.

In a press release, Columbus Health Commissioner Teresa Long commented, "In addition to giving people the information they need, we also want to help parents embrace healthier choices."

(Source: Columbus.bizjournals.com)

Labels: obesity, childhood-obesity

Posted By: Aspen Education Group