Abstract
Hospitals can take the lead in promoting healthier food choices and lifestyles and thus help reduce the incidence of obesity in their communities. Current hospital food environments include less healthy cafeteria, fast food, and patient food options that do not help staff or patients meet recommended dietary guidelines. Education and increased communication among dietitians, food service directors, and hospital administrators may be beneficial in creating healthier hospital food environments. Dietetic professionals are often in strategic positions to make their hospitals and communities healthier and have many available resources to begin "reconstructing" the food environment in their health care facilities.