Calorie Counts on Menus – Is Big Brother Coming to a Restaurant Near You?
Or is it just honest advertizing that we are seeing on menus in New York?
Not miraculously, calorie counts have been dropping on some of the most heavily caloric laden food. What consumers may not be aware of is that calories have been taken down a notch more often by simply reducing portion sizes. Importantly, prices have not fallen congruently. My question is this–will consumers accept a smaller bang for their buck if they can fit into their skinny jeans again? If so, restaurants should do less whining about food costs. Once restaurants realize that they can cut costs and calories without making similar cuts to prices and still maintain customers, they will surely jump on the calorie-cutting bandwagon.
You ever try a Big Kahuna Burger?
But, will the mandate work for its intended purpose? Will the mandate help to curb the calorie intake of the regular Joe? (My apologies to the election junkies…) Health scientists have been trying for ages to discover how to change the eating behaviors of the public for the better. However, we are notoriously stubborn when it comes to our food choices. According to news reports, a recent study (yet to be located) of consumer purchases at participating restaurants shows that just like intentions to go to the gym, enthusiasm wanes after the start of the work week-reduced caloric intake occurred only on Mondays and Tuesdays. As I haven’t yet found the name or author of this study, I cannot say for sure whether they actually show a causal effect. I would like to know if the same caloric reductions early in the week happened before calorie counts went on the board. For instance, people may have already been in the habit of trying to “be good” after a weekend of binge calories.
The New York State Restaurant Association is litigating against New York’s statute, while other restaurants voluntarily began posting calories on their menus nationwide. The NY Restaurant Association is claiming that requiring calorie counts on the menu is against their First Amendment right of free speech. While they are at it, why not argue that requiring the posting of OSHA guidelines is against free speech as well? The Restaurant Association’s second and slightly stronger line of argument stems from the fact that the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 explicitly exempts restaurants from having to provide nutritional information on their goods.
However, food experts and health groups (for example, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, health and policy expert Marion Nestle, the American Medical Association, and the American Diabetes Association) counter argue that the NYC law is only filling in a legislation gap purposefully left in the NLEA for states and counties to make their own restaurant requirements. Indeed, the chief sponsors of NLEA and even the FDA agree that the exemption was intended to be exercised as New York City is doing so. These groups along with former FDA commissioner Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) have compiled a “friend of the court” briefing in support of the New York City’s Board of Health and its menu labeling law. Because consumers are eating about 1/3 of their calories in restaurants, these groups hail the legislation as an important stepping stone in getting the public to eat better. They point to Subway as a shining example of consumer education.
References:
Center for Science in the Public Interest:
New York City’s Fast-Food Calorie Labeling Rule Should Be Upheld, Groups Urge Federal Court
Subway First to List Calories on Menu Boards in Country
The Economist:
Bendbulletin.com:
What’s on the menu? Calorie count labels are the focus of debate
The New York Times:
P.S. Obama FTW. : )
November 5, 2008
Tags: fast-food, Health, heroes, nutrition, obesity, policy Posted in: Health, Politics
3 Responses
i should think economics is the main issue behind food choices…both monetary and temporal…well that and nutrient density…but that is more subtle….
it is very easy for a consumer to forget about caloric intake in the face of time and money constraints. yes, a big mac has a bajillion and two calories and a horse’s weight in fat, but when a person is faced with the choice of paying five dollars or less for what is perceived to be a full meal after a long day at work vs going home and preparing a healthy alternative…well, who cares about the calories.
Portion control is another issue. Some people can deal with small portion sizes, but I know I can’t, so what options do people like me have? Also, along with portion size, nutrient density is a big factor in calories consumed. I could have a single pop tart (as this is apparently enough for some people), but what else besides simple carbohydrates am I getting? Nothing but empty calories. So you eat the two pop tarts that come in the pouch…and three eggs…and some oj…now we have a more balanced breakfast…at 570 calories. This is fine. But what about the rest of the day? Maybe you get hungry at noon…you stop by the gas station and boy does that strawberry strudel pastry thing look good! You grab it along with a hot dog. Most people don’t check, but that little strudel? Yeah, a lot of those are a 500 calorie bomb! We’re not done with the day, but you can see where this is headed…
Then there is the whole perception that eating healthy means eating boring foods…all the time…while this doesn’t have to be the case, it can be when you think about the time necessary to make an awesome healthy meal. Again, time economics…
Personally, as a health junkie (though I’m sure some would debate this…) I’m all for displaying calories on menus…but how would the rest of the public? And would a mere display of numbers do the trick? Perhaps the numbers and a comparison, like this has a thousand calories, which is like eating x number of y food would be helpful. Ultimately, though, food manufacturers need to provide restaurant’s with healthy and cheap sources of food so that, in turn, restaurants can offer these low cost options to the public.
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