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Evaluation of the Heart Smart(tm) Heart Beat Restaurant Program
1Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton Health Department, Ottawa, Ontario.
Summary
The Ottawa-Carleton Heart Beat Restaurant Program successfully raised awareness and encouraged healthy food options. However, uptake of promotional materials like menu inserts varied, suggesting areas for improvement in restaurant engagement strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Nutrition
- Health Promotion Programs
- Restaurant Industry Interventions
Background:
- The Ottawa-Carleton Heart Beat Restaurant Program aimed to increase lower-fat and higher-fibre food options in restaurants.
- Participating restaurants received promotional support, including a dining guide and various display materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess restaurateur awareness of the Heart Beat Restaurant Program.
- To evaluate the provision of healthy food choices by participating restaurants.
- To determine the utilization rates of promotional materials among restaurateurs.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted among 142 out of 222 restaurants participating in the program.
- The survey focused on restaurateur awareness, healthy food offerings, and use of promotional items.
Main Results:
- 92% of restaurateurs were aware of their participation in the program.
- Most participating restaurants were capable of offering the designated healthy food choices.
- While 75% recalled receiving promotional materials, fewer than 33% used menu inserts or table tents.
Conclusions:
- The program demonstrated success in raising awareness and encouraging healthy food provision.
- Lower utilization rates for certain promotional materials indicate a need for enhanced strategies to maximize their impact.
- Future program iterations should focus on optimizing the distribution and use of in-restaurant promotional tools.