Healthy Volusia Restaurant Survey

Instructions: Please read the following letter. Immediately after the letter you will find links to 2 different surveys. One survey is for restaurants that serve mostly pizza, subs & wings. The other survey is for those restaurants that have a more extensive menu. Please select the survey that is appropriate for your restaurant.

Dear Restaurant Owner:

In Florida and in Volusia County, 60% of adults are either overweight or obese and nationally 25% of high school students are at-risk of or are overweight. Overweight young people are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults. Overweight and obesity significantly increases the risk for chronic diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and some cancers.

Increasingly people are dining out so that a significant portion of their nutrition is coming from restaurant fare. Volusia County restaurants have an opportunity to become part of the solution for overweight and obesity by joining us in the Healthy Options Restaurant Project sponsored by Healthy Volusia with grant funding through Heart of Volusia.

Healthy Volusia is a community partnership consisting of public and private organizations, social service agencies, private industry and concerned citizens, formed to improve community health. The Healthy Options Restaurant Project is a voluntary effort to increase the availability of healthy food at Volusia's eating establishments. By participating in the Project, restaurants agree to provide healthy foods, permit customers to make choices that reduce calories and increase nutritional value, and to inform their customers of healthy options. Health conscious consumers, who may have reduced their restaurant dining, will be more comfortable eating in participating restaurants.

In exchange, participating restaurants will receive free positive publicity and recognition for their efforts. Restaurants adopting the recommended health options will receive a window decal and table tents with current guidelines for nutrition and physical activity. We have 24 restaurants featured on the Healthy Volusia Internet website, www.healthvvolusia.com, which has been linked to the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the West Volusia Chamber of Commerce websites for viewing by local patrons and out-of-town visitors as well. Plans are underway to expand the linkages to other Chambers and Bureaus.

Any Volusia County restaurant can participate in the Project. Please join us in this exciting opportunity to help people of all ages in Volusia County have well-balanced, nutritious, and tasty offerings when they dine out. Thank you for your assistance.