Beginning Sept. 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.
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.
For more information about the Guiding Stars program, visit guidingstars.com.
