Increasingly, menus in restaurants, pizzerias and even coffee shops carry nutritional information, including calorie counts. The eating establishments that have implemented this change are anticipating that FDA will eventually require it, possibly by May, 2018. Some prepared food sold in grocery stores will also be subject to this requirement, along with beer, wine and other drinks on menus. Does accessible nutrition information make a difference?
Calorie Counts and Consumption:
The highly regarded Cochrane Collaboration considered this question and concluded that this information might reduce calorie consumption (Crockett et al, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Feb.27, 2018). The researchers analyzed three studies in which foods were labeled with calorie amounts in restaurants, cafeterias and cafes. The results showed that people with access to this information reduced their caloric intake for that meal by about 8 percent.
Other studies conducted in a laboratory setting suggest that labels might reduce calorie consumption by as much as 12 percent per meal. Laboratory results don’t always hold up in the real world, however. In addition, the researchers worry that the studies were low quality.
Do Calorie Counts on Labels Help Us Eat Less?
Researchers do not know whether such labels will help large numbers of people control their weight. They are unlikely to pose a serious risk to businesses, though. Restaurants in New York City have been posting calorie counts for more than a decade, and the requirement has not put them out of business.
