LA County health launches initiative for healthier options at restaurants

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The average person eats out four or more times a week and that generally means consuming more fat and calories.

That is just one of the reasons why the Los Angeles County Department of Health launched a new health initiative to combat obesity called "Healthy Eating Out."

Dr. Paul Simon said two thirds of adults in the county are obese. For children, one in five between the ages of 3 and 4 are obese as well. Those behind the campaign are hoping to help change that.

El Coraloense restaurant in Bell Gardens is one of many restaurants getting on board to help customers make better choices.

"We do serve smaller portions where you can indulge in savory foods without having to walk out the door unbuttoning your pants," restaurant chef Natalie Curie said.

Some ways to cut calories would be to order water instead of soda or a small burger and fries instead of the meal deal. But it can be pretty tough to get parents to get their kids to do that, so more than 50 Los Angeles restaurants are offering some smart portions menus.

This new campaign targets more than 30,000 restaurants to remove or limit fried foods and sugary drinks from children's menus and to instead offer smaller, healthier options overall.

In some cases, it is all about portion control and using healthier ingredients.