With more and more Americans losing the fight against obesity, the American Dietetic Association is serving up a menu of healthy food choices through its overhauled Web site to help people make informed choices to battle the bulge.

Overall, 26 percent of U.S. adults were obese in 2008, compared to 25.6 percent in 2007, according to statistics recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The results were based on interviews in 2008 with more than 400,000 adults based on their their height and weight.

Now, in an effort to combat the problem, the ADA has relaunched its Web site, Eatright.org.The site provides readers with up-to-date information about diets, tips for eating out, disease management and nutrition guidance, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune.

Here are five healthy suggestions:

When dining out:

• Have a plan. Eat a light dinner if you ate a big lunch that day. Or if you know ahead of time that you're going to a restaurant, cut back on calories during other meals that day.
• Knowing menu terms and cooking basics makes ordering easier, especially if you need to control calories, fat and other nutrients. Look for foods that are steamed, broiled, baked or grilled, and limit fried and sautéed items or foods described as "crispy," "rich" or "au gratin."
• Balance your meal by including foods from all the different food groups: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Look for freshly made entrée salads that give you "balance in a bowl." For example, entrée salads with chicken, cheese or almonds provide protein along with fiber and vitamins. If you are counting calories, use a low-fat dressing or skip some of the extras, like croutons.
• Round out your meal by ordering healthy side dishes, such as a side salad with low-fat or fat-free dressing, baked potato or fruit. Boost the nutritional value of your baked potato by topping it with vegetables, salsa or chili.
• Substitute. Ask for a side salad with low-fat dressing to replace fries in a combination meal.
• Many restaurants serve huge portions, sometimes enough for two or three people. Order menu items that contain fewer calories and eat a smaller portion. Bring leftovers home for another meal.

Shop smart. Get the Facts on Food Labels

• Find out which foods are good sources of fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin C
• Compare similar foods to find out which one is lower in fat and calories
• Search for low-sodium foods
• Look for foods that are low in saturated fat and trans fats
• Find out how many calories are in a single serving and the number of calories from fat. It's smart to cut back on calories and fat if you are watching your weight!
• Let the Percent of Daily Values (DV) be your guide. Use it to help you evaluate how a particular food fits in your daily allowance.

Be an informed dieter

• The ADA examines and gives a medical perspective on popular diets books, including 'The Four Day Diet,' 'The South Beach Diet Supercharged' and 'Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.'

Find A registered dietician

• By entering your zip code and your health needs, such as weight control, vegetarian nutrition or childhood obesity, the site helps you find a dietician along with their contact information.

Manage diseases

• When it comes to getting to the basics of discussing your diet's part in chronic disease, it can be hard "getting your general practitioner'' to focus. That's why this section of the ADA's site can be particularly helpful. It provides information on obesity, diabetes, cancer, HIV-AIDS, Celiac Disease, autism and kidney disease and what you can do to manage your health.