First lady applies moral suasion on restaurant giants

In a Page One story yesterday, The New York Times reported on Michelle Obama’s attempts to coax the American restaurant industry in the direction of preparing healthier offerings for children. This is part of her Let’s Move campaign against childhood obesity. The Times notes that meetings between Mrs. Obama’s aides and the National Restaurant Association are intended to prod the industry towards smaller portions and plates of “carrots, apple slices and milk instead of French fries and soda.”

Obviously, solving the problem of childhood obesity is no simple task. Noting that even the size of our plates has grown over the last twenty years, ACSH’s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan says that her own surveys of restaurateurs show that dining establishments offer large portion sizes because food is among the least expensive parts of the meal, and they have concluded that if a few diners want a bigger helping, then it makes sense to offer it to all.

ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross concurs. “Portion sizes were smaller twenty years ago,” he says. “But if all the restaurants sign on to the goal of reducing portion size, perhaps no one in the business will gain a competitive advantage and the concept will catch on.”