At-a-Glance Food Nutrition Rating System Helps Visitors and Employees Make Healthier Food Choices
CONCORD, NH — Beginning September 30, Concord Hospital will implement the Guiding Stars at-a-glance food nutrition rating system in its cafeteria. The program is designed to help hospital staff and visitors make more nutritious choices when dining at the hospital.
Concord Hospital is the first hospital in the state to implement the Guiding Stars program as part of its commitment to improving the overall health and wellness of the community. In 2006, Concord Hospital illustrated its responsibility as a healthcare organization to promote and model healthy living by reducing and/or eliminating the availability of foods high in saturated fat and foods that contain trans fat. Additionally, portion sizes were reduced to be consistent with standard serving sizes recommended by the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
“I’m very excited that Concord Hospital is implementing the Guiding Stars Nutrition Guidance Program,” said Mike Green, Concord Hospital president and CEO. “This reaffirms our commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our employees, patients and visitors.”
The Guiding Stars program will enhance Concord Hospital’s existing food nutrition program by taking the guesswork out of deciding which items on the menu offer a better nutritional value to help make choosing healthy foods easier. The Guiding Stars system rates the nutritional value of every item in the cafeteria, including hot and cold prepared foods, salad bar, grab-and-go items and beverages. Each item is then labeled according to its value: one Guiding Star is good, two Guiding Stars is better and three Guiding Stars is best. All items are evaluated using a patented algorithm based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other national evidence-based nutrition policies.
“Concord Hospital is a leader in the health care industry, and we’re very pleased to work with them on introducing our evidence-based nutrition guidance program to employees and visitors,” said Sue Till, client services manager with Guiding Stars. “Taking good care of yourself is very important when you’re responsible for the care of others, whether they be patients or family members. Guiding Stars makes that easier, especially when you’re pressed for time. ”
For more information about the Guiding Stars program, visit www.staging.guidingstars.com.
About Guiding Stars Licensing Co.
Since 2006, Guiding Stars has been leading the way in helping consumers make nutritious food choices and has received a U.S. Patent for the Guiding Stars nutrition rating algorithm. The Guiding Stars nutrition guidance program is a simple, easy-to-understand tool for making good nutrition choices and is designed to make a positive and lasting impact on public health. Guiding Stars is currently found in more than 1,800 supermarkets including Hannaford, Food Lion, Sweetbay, Homeland, Marsh, as well as Loblaw’s Supermarkets in Ontario and Quebec. Guiding Stars has also expanded into public schools, colleges and hospitals and appears on the Shopper mobile iPhone application. Additional information can be found at www.staging.guidingstars.com.
About Concord Hospital
Concord Hospital is a nationally accredited medical center providing comprehensive acute-care services and programs to residents throughout New Hampshire. Our cornerstone Centers of Excellence for orthopaedics, cancer, cardiac, urology and women’s health reinforce Concord Hospital as a regional, medical resource for specialized care that consistently provides unprecedented diagnoses, treatment and support for more than 40 medical specialties. As a charitable organization, Concord Hospital provided more than $38 million in community benefit programs and services, including $14.5 million in charitable care in 2012.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Maya Pattison
SS|PR for Guiding Stars
(781) 894-1739
mpattison@sspr.com