Calories on Menus Really Do Help People Eat Less
New York City made it a law in 2008; all chain restaurants are required to display calorie content on their menus, period.
But, will showing people that a Big Mac has a billion calories really make a difference? They already know it's garbage! And they still eat it.
Turns out, it does! A new study found menus that include calorie information actually do inspire people to make better food choices. Go figure.
Writing in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers took 303 adults and randomly assigned them to three menu groups: no calorie labeling, calorie labeling, and calorie information, plus a 2,000-calorie recommendation.
In the end, differences in calorie intake were small. Participants in the label groups ate only 14% fewer calories than the label-free group.
And, the 2,000-calorie group also eat less calories the remainder of the day after the experiment--250 fewer calories than the other groups.
So, is it the be-all-end-all solution to obesity? Unfortunately no. But, there's no harm in giving people more information to help them make the best decision.
I say if any restaurants complain, tough! They can join Nutrition Facts in group counseling!
Via Reuters.
What a wonderful idea, please see if you can suggest this to Restaurants. I certainly will look for this in the future.m Make it soon. Joy
Replyit's no surprise that having the information out there does help people make wiser decisions. Sadly they don't list what's in the food like the food labels at the grocery store does but it is a step in the right direction.
Speaking of grocery store labels... when they first came out a lot of the food producers were against those too. Now they're pretty much accepted as standard practice. They don't stop people from buying things like Oreos and ding dongs but the info is there for those who care to look. I think for the food producers it was a matter of not wanting to change because they were afraid of what it might do. business men are not keen on risk. They only change when either forced to by either the government or by the consumer....
ReplyThere's a great story on this here:
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=29825&news_channel_id=159&channel_id=159
Essentially, it says that listed calories are not accurate and cannot be due to preparation methods, different vendors, portion sizes, etc.
So take the calorie info as a ballpark estimate, not an absolute.
ReplyWhat a great idea - I think it makes a lot of sense as I would always be more careful when choosing my food if I knew how many calories were in each meal. Not sure if making it a "law" is the right thing to do but a good idea none the less.
ReplyIt's sad in a way. Eating with others is just as much an enjoyable social experience, but nowadays its also about energy intake.
I know for me staring at the number of calories would be a turn-off, and would probably lead to eating less.
ReplyIt makes sense to me. Putting the calorie counts on food products is sort of like putting price tags on things at stores...it allows the consumer to make an informed decision. If I go to a store and want a pair of jeans, I would probably think twice about buying them if they cost $200 vs. if they were only going to set me back $40. It's the same thing with food--if something has 600 calories, I want to be able to budget that into my daily calorie intake and not just wait until the change shows up on the scale. I have a feeling most restaurants will start doing this voluntarily within the next few years or people will start eating at the places that do post calorie info.
ReplyI think 600 calories would be really GOOD for a restaurant meal! I would imagine that even the same dish prepared multiple times would yield different actual calorie numbers though. Do they actually measure out the oil they're using to fry the potatoes? A tablespoon or two can make a big difference!
ReplyI'd be surprised if restaurants start labeling calorie information voluntarily. They really seem resistant. Actually, probably those restaurants that want to give off an image of being "healthy" will do it...but regardless, I think we're all better off preparing the majority of our meals ourselves.
I think if it helps just one person think twice about what they are eating & gets them started to a healthier life, I am all for it! Personally I like it BUT I do know that they are not always accurate so I take that into account too.
ReplyThe first thing you have to realize is that your health is much more important than slim thighs or a slimmer waistline.
ReplyThe benefits of good eating habits allow your body to function correctly.
This is especially true of liver function which allows your body to correctly regulate how food energy is utilized..
I often check restaurant web sites for NI if I know where I am going but unfortunately not all of them give info. I would love to see it on the menus for all restaurants. But do I think it should be legislated--no. We are being legislated--for our own benefit (?)--way too much now. Do I think it will make a vast difference in the obesity rate in this Country? Again, no. But those of us who really want to take in less calories and eat healthier most of the time will have another tool to help us.
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