DEAR ABBY: Earlier this year, my stepmother made it a goal to lose weight. So far she has made no changes in her diet to help her accomplish that goal. She eats lots of fatty foods, uses lots of salt and eats almost no fruits or vegetables.
I feel Dad enables her because he does nothing to encourage her to eat healthier. He, on the other hand, eats very healthy -- almost the opposite of what she does. He rarely eats anything fatty and uses salt sparingly. He also eats fruits and vegetables every day.
My stepmother's weight is an issue. She has several health problems that would improve greatly if she lost weight. I would like to say something to her about her diet, but don't know how without offending her. I know she would take it personally, and it would make our relationship difficult. What should I do in this situation? -- IT'S A WEIGHTY ISSUE
DEAR WEIGHTY ISSUE: I think the best approach would be to talk about this with your father. Tell your dad you are concerned because your stepmother's weight problem is affecting her health and suggest they consult a licensed nutritionist (RDN) about "tweaking" her diet to help her to reach her goal. Because the topic is sensitive, it would be better if he broached the subject with his wife rather than you. While he's at it, he could also suggest some light exercise activity to start her moving.