Healthcare System Works with Supermarket Chain to Promote Health, Wellness

She said they focus on those products for instance, with whole grains and low-saturated fat. "We tried to steer clear of things such as—generically speaking—100-calorie packs. They might be low in fat. But they don't really offer anything nutritious," she said.

There's also a focus on locally grown and produced products such as fresh local vegetables and seafood that are good for both weight reduction and local economy promotion, according to Quinlan.

In addition to finding Ochsner endorsed eating recommendations on the supermarket aisles, customers will able to obtain Ochsner education materials and free health screenings, including for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and body fat. Also, the store's "Chef Nino" will be incorporating lighter and heart healthy recipes into his cooking demonstrations. Customers will also be able to access recipes and information on smart food choices, proper meal planning, and disease specific diet alternatives online at the Choose Healthy site.

"Unless we get to where people actually buy their groceries, our success rate [in addressing obesity] is going to be pretty low," Quinlan said. "We want to get into their homes where they use their groceries—and help them develop strategies where they eat well, eat inexpensively, and eat conveniently. Right now they don't know what to do—and they don't have the time to do it. We need to solve those problems for them."