Partially published in the Washington Post, January 13, 2003

In her column, "Portion Distortion — You Don't Know the Half of It," (12/29/02), Shannon Brownlee unfairly targets the restaurant industry for obesity among some Americans. Approaching this very complex issue from such a narrow, sensational angle is misrepresenting the true causes of overweight conditions; and by blaming food alone, whether eaten at home or in a restaurant, Ms. Brownlee is swallowing a simplistic notion.

By ignoring the complex reasons for obesity, such as Americans' increasingly sedentary lifestyle, Ms. Brownlee embraces the culture of victimization that blames clever marketers for over-indulgence. Although she admits that it is ultimately the individual's responsibility to determine what and how much to eat, and agrees with the restaurant industry that recently-filed lawsuits against quickservice restaurants are frivolous, she perpetuates a naive and flawed belief that certain foods are largely the cause of obesity.

America continues to rely upon high-quality, smart-valued meals prepared by a restaurant; yet 76 percent of all meals are still eaten by individuals at home. When consumers do dine in one of the nation's 870,000 restaurants, they find a variety of menu items in a variety of portion sizes to fit the diverse needs of a diverse population. Experts agree that all foods can be part of a healthy lifestyle, and that healthy lifestyles can only be obtained by a balanced diet and physical activity.

A key point Ms. Brownlee neglected to mention is the overwhelming, albeit alarming rate at which Americans are becoming more and more sedentary. Perhaps most noticeable is the increased use and availability of the Internet, video games and a variety of video entertainment, all of which perpetuate a couch potato culture. Unfortunately, the author focused exclusively on upsized portions and completely ignored other factors such as downsized workouts.

According to a study by researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and experts at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, the average child spends 15,000 to 18,000 hours watching television by age 17. In 1969, 80 percent of children were involved in daily physical education programs; only 20 percent are today. In addition, nutrition education has sadly been shelved in many schools across the country.

In addition to overall dietary choices and level of exercise, family history, genetic susceptibility and other medical conditions determine why some people are prone to becoming overweight and even obese. Yet these points, too, fall by the wayside in the author's attempt to simply chastise America's favorite foods.

The restaurant industry is, and has always been, focused on adapting to customer demand. The result is that there are myriad options in myriad portion sizes available to meet demands for choice, value, flexibility, individual tastes and nutritional needs-on any menu. American consumers know they are responsible for their own dietary choices. Recent research by the National Restaurant Association shows that more than two-thirds believe there are appropriate portion sizes at quickservice restaurants, and that an overwhelming 95 percent feel they are qualified to make their own decisions of what to order when dining out. And they don't want government or anyone else sitting at the table with them telling them what to eat.

The restaurant industry is an industry of choice, and customers want options and flexibility in the foods they eat. For this reason, restaurants have always offered consumers a wide variety of venues, menu items and portion sizes. The key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is through physical activity and balancing a variety of food choices. And those food choices are on the menus in restaurants everywhere.

Steven C. Anderson
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Restaurant Association
Washington, D.C.