Healthy plate for a healthy weight: Engaging east harlem restaurants in the campaign against obesity and diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes and obesity have continued their upward trend in the U.S., with minority, low-socioeconomic status communities disproportionately affected. In one such community, East Harlem, 33% of individuals are obese and 11% have diabetes. Restaurants provide an ideal intervention point to prevent these diseases, as not only do meals from take-out restaurants often not meet dietary recommendations but also there has been success at influencing customers at point-of-purchase. METHODS: We canvassed East Harlem, NY to identify take-out restaurants eligible to participate in the “Healthy Plate for a Healthy Weight” (HPHW) campaign, which provides take-out customers with free, specially-designed paper plates featuring adapted USDA dietary guidelines. We surveyed customers coming out of the intervention and control restaurants pre- and post-intervention (n=302) to assess knowledge of dietary guidelines, current consumption of fruits and vegetables, portion-size perceptions, and use of the HPHW. RESULTS: There was no change at intervention sites from baseline to follow-up on knowledge of dietary guidelines, fruit and vegetable consumption or portion-size perceptions. Of intervention site customers who had previously received the HPHW, 79% (n=19) used the plate, and of those, 21% (n=4) reported that it affected their eating habits, such as eating smaller portions (75%), eating more fruits (50%), eating more vegetables (100%), following recommendations on plate (75%), and ordering different foods at take-out restaurants (25%). DISCUSSION: HPHW offers a unique dietary intervention for preventing and controlling obesity and diabetes. HPHW has the potential to raise take-out customers' awareness of dietary guidelines and influence healthy eating behaviors.