The Cookware Manufacturers Association today announced a new initiative urging consumers to eat home cooked meals as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Foods prepared at home give the consumer control over both the ingredients and the portion size, said Hugh J. Rushing, executive vice president of the CMA.
Public health experts have announced that obesity is now a greater threat to America than is smoking in terms of direct and indirect costs, Rushing said. We believe that encouraging consumers to utilize healthy cooking techniques is an important tool in the battle for weight loss.
Almost 55 percent of adults are overweight and more than 22 percent are termed obese according to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestion and Kidney Disease, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. Extra weight contributes to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea, among other health problems, and the direct health expenditures on obesity and its side effects costs over $51 billion annually.
Part of a healthy lifestyle means taking control of one’s food and the amount that is eaten, Rushing commented. Take-out food, fast food and prepackaged, ready-to-eat foods all contribute to a lack of control. Typically they have higher levels of salt and fats as well and the consumer has no choice about their ingredients.
Many consumers claim that they don’t cook because they view cooking as a time consuming activity. In actuality, many meals can be cooked in less time that it takes to drive to a store or fast food restaurant for a meal.
The association plans to promote quick, good tasting recipes on its website along with advice on how to use cookware to produce foods that are enjoyable and healthy at the same time. The nationwide publicity campaign will include suggestions for easily prepared recipes and advice on appropriate cookware and bakeware for consumers.
For more than 80 years, the CMA has been educating consumers about cookware and bake-ware, its proper selection, use and maintenance. Now we want to expand this educational effort to do our part for a healthier America, Rushing said.
