Letter to the Editor Regarding Oversized Portions at Restaurants

Dear Editor:

I was distressed by the towering plate of spaghetti and meatballs that greeted me this morning on the cover of Newsday’s Explore LI. The article that listed several restaurants offering oversized portions may have been well intended. After all, it offers people information on restaurants where patrons will more than likely take home large cartons of leftovers, a savings for dinners later in the week. But the real message could encourage overeating.

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Nassau County and poor diet is a leading cause of heart disease. According to studies conducted by the Nassau County Department of Health, 38.9 percent of adults are overweight, superseding the already bloated national average of 37.7 percent. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity is on the rise with 16 percent of children 6 to 9 years of age overweight or obese.

Newsday should not promote larger portions. It should instead promote healthy eating, tips on how to stay fit, and ask parents and caregivers to ensure that children do the same.

Legislator Dave Mejias
Chairman, Health and Social Services Committee
Nassau County Legislature