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Abstract #159530

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Lynn D. Silver, MD, MPH, Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10007, 212-788-4108, lsilver@health.nyc.gov, Candace Young, MS, Bureau of Chronic Disease, Physical Activity and Nutrition Program, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette, New York, NY 10007, Mary T. Bassett, MD, MPH, Health Promotion Disease Prevention, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth St., New York, NY 10013, and Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth St., New York, NY 10013.

Obesity is epidemic in New York City and the nation, and is the second leading cause of preventable death, after smoking. Thirty-four percent of New York City residents are overweight, and 22% are obese. Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Eating out is associated with higher caloric intake and obesity. In the United States, about a third of all calories consumed come from restaurants and most people underestimate the calorie content of away-from-home foods. When nutrition information is readily available, consumers make more informed choices. For example, half of U.S. adults report that food labels on packaged goods influence their food decisions.

In September 2006, an amendment to the Health code was proposed to make calorie content clear and easily visible to consumers at the time of purchase in certain food service establishments. The Board of Health approved the measure in December, 2006, after a public comment period that was overwhelmingly supportive. Effective July 1, 2007, the regulation requires NYC restaurants that make calorie information available to the public to post calorie content next to menu items on menus and menu boards.

The NYC Board of Health has regulated food service establishments and food safety for over two centuries through its Health Code and associated enforcement. However, using the Health Code and food safety authority to assure access to information needed to help prevent obesity is a novel approach to local government action, with potential for significant impact on obesity and related chronic diseases.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate how local regulatory functions can be used to address environmental risk factors for obesity and chronic disease.
• Articulate how public health organizations can assess and act upon environmental risk factors for obesity.
• Identify lessons learned from the process of requiring calorie information to be provided to consumers at the time of purchase.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout
• Multimedia recording