Wegmans and Excellus say “Half-Plate Healthy!”

Ease into Healthy Eating

One tip to healthy eating is to pile veggies, fruits, and salad onto half of your dinner plate, filling the rest of your plate with anything else. You would do the same when you go for seconds or dessert.

Wegmans Food Markets and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield are championing ideas such as “Half-Plate Healthy” as a way to help individuals reach a healthy weight.

Two out of three adults in the six-county Rochester region, after all, are overweight or obese, according to an Excellus BCBS report released last year.

“In 2007, Cornell University researcher Brian Wansink suggested we share the half-plate tip with our employees. It worked!” said Jane Andrews, a registered dietitian who manages nutrition programs for Wegmans. “Folks told us that the entire family got involved and that this became the first step to other lifestyle changes and better health.”

Wegmans and Excellus BCBS, two of the area’s largest employers, will promote healthy portion tips to employees and the community starting with the Rochester Business Alliance launch of the “eat well live well” challenge on March 14.

Several community tools are available to help people achieve healthy portions:

* Wegmans and Excellus BCBS are co-sponsoring “Half-Plate Healthy” placemats, available in Wegmans stores.

* The eight-week “eat well live well” challenge encourages employees to measure cups of fruits and vegetables and steps taken each day. New this year: they can also monitor half plates as well as blood pressure. Go to eatwelllivewell.org.

* Step Up is a free program available online at stepup.excellusbcbs.com that also encourages produce consumption and 10,000 steps daily.

* More information on “Half-Plate Healthy” is available at wegmans.com.

Several studies have shown that increasing plate sizes and portions of food could cause people to consume more calories, according to a new Excellus BCBS report, "The Facts About Healthy Portions."

The average plate at a restaurant, for example, has increased from 10 inches in diameter to 12 inches, according to the report. Many prepared foods such as cookies and cooked pasta exceed federal agencies’ recommendations for standard portions.

Researchers have found that people serve themselves more food when given larger plates or portions. Even when the food didn’t taste good, larger portions still resulted in overeating, according to the report.

“Larger portions that result in people consuming excess calories are a big concern given the growing obesity epidemic and the fact that you gain weight if you consume more calories than what you exert,” said Amanda Shanahan, a registered dietitian and Manager, Health and Wellness Programs, Excellus BCBS.

“Being healthy is about making sensible food choices and being active, but it’s also about consuming healthy food portions,” Shanahan added.

Click here to read more about healthy portions.