Quality counts with calories

QI-QO (quality in, quality out) is a management principle that could be effectively applied to nutrition. Unfortunately, a new survey finds that when it comes to food quality, most of you are willing to gobble up nutritionally-disastrous dishes and snacks.

Researchers from Tufts University looked at nutritional data on tens of thousands of Americans ages 5 and older. Turns out that 65% of adults’ and 80% of kids’ restaurant meals deliver low-quality nutrition. Around 44% of the items adults eat from food trucks and at entertainment venues — and 42% of kids’ food from those outlets — serve up a nutritional goose egg. At work, more than half of folks’ food is unhealthy.

The result of all that GI-GO (garbage in, garbage out)? At least 42.4% of U.S. adults and almost 20% of kids have obesity, putting themselves at risk for premature heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and some cancers. So here are some simple tips on how you and your kids can eat more healthfully when you’re out and about.

— To upgrade meals and snacks from restaurants, food trucks and work, opt for food that’s grilled, steamed or broiled, not fried, and make it plain, not breaded.

— Choose foods that are a color and shape found in nature (not a glowing orange piece of extruded snack).

— Enjoy salads with extra virgin olive oil dressings.

— Pack work-day lunches with a tasty salmon burger or tuna sandwich, rice and beans with avocado on a whole wheat tortilla and/or a fruit and veggie smoothie.