The Nutrition Facts food label was developed to help consumers make educated food decisions. Such requirements were never put in place for restaurant food. Yet people spend almost 50% of their food budget on restaurant meals (Pomeranz, J. et al. “Legal and Public Health Considerations Affecting the Success, Reach, and Impact of Menu-Labeling Laws.” Am J Public Health; 2008). Considering the escalating obesity rate in this country, any measures that can help consumers reduce their caloric intake should be implemented. Nutrition facts on restaurant menus have been proven to do just that, hence have the potential to reduce weight gain among Americans.
Why Calorie Information May Be Needed
Research has shown that people are unable to accurately guess the number of calories in a meal (Burton, S. et al. “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic: the Potential Health Benefits of Providing Nutrition Information in Restaurants.” Am J Public Health; 2006). Even professional nutritionists underestimated the calorie content of restaurant foods by as much as 680 calories (Pomeranz, J. et al. “Legal and Public Health Considerations Affecting the Success, Reach, and Impact of Menu-Labeling Laws.” Am J Public Health; 2008). The fact that portions served in restaurants have grown to ridiculous amounts has made it just about impossible to estimate calories accurately. Calorie information on restaurant menus would provide one tool for patrons to make more-informed food choices as well as help reduce confusion over appropriate serving sizes.
How Menu Labeling Affects Consumers’ Food Choices
Research investigating the effect of menu labeling on food purchases showed that consumers paid attention to calorie information and often made lower-calorie choices. Burton and associates found that 10% of restaurant patrons decreased their selection of high-calorie food when provided with calorie content information (Am J Public Health; 2006). Another study revealed that when consumers had access to not only calorie information on the menu but also the recommended daily caloric intake for an average adult, they ingested 14% less calories than when no calorie facts were provided (Roberto, C. et al. “Evaluating the Impact of Menu Labeling on Food Choices and Intake.” Am J Public Health; 2009). Also, a new study published this month looked at the effect of mandatory calorie posting in New York City (first in the nation to pass menu labeling legislation). They specifically focused on the effect of menu board labeling at Starbucks. Researchers found that calorie information on menu boards resulted in a decline of an average 6% calorie per transaction. Most of the calorie reduction came from changes in food choices as opposed to beverage choices (Bollinger, B. et al. “Calorie Posting in Chain Restaurants.” 2010).
How Calorie Information on Menus Can Help Slow Weight Gain
In addition to reducing calorie intake by 14% when consumers had access to both calorie content of food and average calories needed for a day, participants reported an average of 250 fewer calories ingested in the entire day (Roberto, C. et al. “Evaluating the Impact of Menu Labeling on Food Choices and Intake.” Am J Public Health; 2009). In other words, knowing how many calories an average adult needs daily along with the calorie content on restaurant menus helped consumers put their single meal in the context of a whole day and allowed them to adjust subsequent meals. Other researchers performed a health impact assessment based on previous menu labeling influence research. They found that “if menu labeling resulted in 10% of large-chain-restaurant patrons ordering reduced-calorie meals with an average reduction of 100 calories per meal, a total of 40.6% of the 6.75 million pound average weight gain in the country population 5 years and older would be averted” (Kuo, T. et al. “Menu Labeling as a Potential Strategy for Combating the Obesity Epidemic: A Health Impact Assessment.” Am J Public Health; 2009).
Menu labeling legislation is popping out in several areas in the country. Research demonstrates that this intervention can help people make more informed decisions when eating out. Given that more and more Americans choose to eat out on a regular basis, the impact of menu labeling has potential to be far reaching.
Brigitte Harton - Brigitte Harton is a certified, registered dietitian with over 15 years experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics. In her current ...
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