Fast food is known to be high in fat, sugar and salt, and frequent consumption of fast-food may contribute to a diet of poor quality, which may raise a user's risk for overweight and chronic diseases that are diet-related (e.g., heart disease and hypertension). Indeed, when Morgan Spurlock embarked on...

Being a nutritionist in New York City, with so many good restaurants on almost every block, so many clients that I counsel eat out more often than they eat at home. Whether at dinner parties or business meetings, or just catching up with friends, eating out has become one of...

A new study out of Temple University suggests that one solution to helping kids eat less is to give them smaller plates. With childhood obesity rates so high, we need effective strategies to help youngsters eat more healthfully and eat less.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics,...

A new study out last week by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), an advocacy group in Washington, D.C., found that most meals from national chain restaurants marketed to children were not healthy and did not meet nutrition standards for healthy eating. This is quite...

I was pleased to participate in Mayor Bloomberg's press event yesterday at Lucky's Café on East 34th Street along with other public health activists. The mayor vowed that the city will appeal the ruling overturning the portion-size restriction for sugar-sweetened beverages that was set to...

The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy eating plan that has been thought to reduce the incidence of heart disease. Now a large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on thousands of participants in Spain confirms the health benefits of this eating plan. The study found...

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported some good news for nutrition activists and others hoping to help Americans eat healthier. A new study found that American adults are consuming fewer calories from fast food than they were several years ago.

In 2006, American consumed approximately 13 percent...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the U.S. February is American Heart Month, and a time to raise awareness about heart disease and to educate the public on ways we can live heart-healthier lives. Here are several foods to include in...

As a nutritionist counseling clients on diet and health, I got numerous calls this week about the latest study on soda. And this one offers up more bad new for soda. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, suggests that drinking soda -- including diet soda...

Happy 2013! Do you feel that another year has gone by and you have not met your health and weight loss goals? As a registered dietitian (RD), I counsel so many clients who have told me that they make new resolutions early in the new year, and by spring they...

Mini-size it! A great way -- perhaps the best way -- to cut calories is to trim your portion sizes, especially of foods that are high in calories. That would include many treats you would find at holiday parties and events such as eggnog, specialty hot chocolates, fancy chocolates, and...

While you may have been told to avoid nuts and seeds due to their high fat and caloric content, these tasty gems contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats, and are truly terrific to include in your diet. They contain protein, fiber, and plant stanols, which may help lower cholesterol, and antioxidants including...

With Thanksgiving the start of the holiday season, temptations are all around us, and making healthy and smart food choices can be challenging. However, if you practice portion control along with following some other simple healthy tips, you can enjoy your favorite foods without gaining a pound.

According to the...

As a New Yorker living in a crowded neighborhood, I could not help but notice the long lines in the supermarkets the other day. Of course, as a nutritionist, I could not help but notice the food choices my neighbors were stocking up on.

In times like this, with all...

The prevalence of overweight has increased in adults and children and shows no signs of decreasing. As I have previously written, large portions of unhealthy high caloric foods have indeed contributed to this problem.

In my latest paper, "Reducing Portion Sizes to Prevent...

New York City's Board of Health recently approved Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to limit the sizes of sweetened beverages. The regulation restricts the sale of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and delis.

I published an opinion piece in support of the proposal for the...

One week before the Board of Health is scheduled to vote on Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to limit the sizes of oversized drinks, Weight Watchers and other diet companies, including The South Beach Diet, Jenny Craig and Bob Greene of The Best Life Diet, are supporting the proposal.

I have previously...

Practicing portion control is one of the most difficult tasks facing anyone who eats out or even eats in these days. Look around you and everything is super-sized. And not just fast food. Bagels, muffins, steaks, even frozen dinners have grown in size. And of course we know about the...

Legumes -- a class of vegetables including beans, peas, and lentils -- are terrific to include in the diet. They are rich in and fiber and chock full of vitamins and minerals, including folate, manganese, iron, potassium, magnesium, and copper. They are also economical and easy to store, and can...

It was a busy afternoon at the Gotham Center in Long Island City, the headquarters of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Today was the public hearing on Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to restrict the sizes of sugary beverages to no more than 16 fluid ounces in...