New Year's Resolutions to Eat Healthier Get a Boost with Passage of Calorie Posting Measure

Statement from Donald Distasio, CEO, American Cancer Society of NY & NJ, regarding passage of calorie posting legislation in New Jersey.

“For many, the new year brings renewed promises to make healthier food choices. Consumers are one step closer to being able to make better choices with ease when dining out, thanks to the Legislature’s passage of a calorie posting bill.

This law shines a light on hidden fat and calories. A seemingly healthy grilled fajita salad could in fact be packing over 1,400 calories. That’s almost a day’s worth of calories. Informed consumers make better choices. Posting caloric information in a visible location gives restaurant patrons the chance to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families.

Calorie posting is just one vital component that must be part of a comprehensive effort to empower people to take charge of their waistlines and address this deadly, preventable health crisis.Obesity poses a very real health threat – about 5,400 New Jersey residents die each year from cancers caused by obesity and lack of physical activity. Cancer and obesity are linked, and by educating people about the risk of a high-calorie, high-fat diet and promoting prevention, we can reduce cancer rates and control health care costs.

Our legislators clearly see the benefits of this legislation. The American Cancer Society urges Governor Corzine to sign this bill swiftly to provide transparency about caloric content when dining out and shrink New Jersey’s collective waistline.”

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Read our fact sheet on Calorie Posting here>>>

About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.