New research shows that calorie labeling on menus has not significantly changed the amount of calories people eat when they dine out. This is four years after the Food and Drug Administration required chain restaurants to publish calorie counts.
“Some studies show that there’s no difference in what people order, or if there is, it is a slight difference of 25 to 100 calories per meal,” Colleen Tewksbury (a senior researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) said. It’s unclear how much this has an effect on their overall diet. It’s only a small change. It isn’t as dramatic as some people might have expected.
Experts are worried about the high calorie count of restaurant meals. In a national survey from 2013-2016, more than a third of adults indicated that they ate fast food at least once a day.
According to the latest report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate has risen from 30 percent in 1999-2000, to 42 percent in 2017-2018.
Tewksbury stated that she has patients who are attentive to the calorie count on menus and even research menu items ahead of time online.
She said that some people believe that when they go out for food, the last thing they think about is calories or how much they’re eating.
The FDA required chain restaurants and other retail food establishments that have 20 or more locations in May 2018 to list the calorie count of standard items on their menu boards and menu boards.
The agency declared that it would temporarily allow “flexibility” to the requirements for the pandemic in April 2020 due to supply chain issues and other business problems. A spokesperson for FDA said that the FDA does not currently have a timeline to determine when full labeling requirements will return.
Cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, and certain states (including California and Massachusetts) required menu labeling before the new national requirement.
The impact of these requirements on the economy has been subject to mixed research.
One of the most comprehensive studies of the impact of restaurant menu labels was published in 2020 by the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. It looked at two sit-down restaurants. One had menus that included calorie counts and the other did not. More than 5,500 people were surveyed between 2015-2017. The results showed that those who were served menus with calorie counts ate on average 45 fewer calories, or 3 percent less at dinner. These reductions occurred with appetizers, but not desserts.
John Cawley, Cornell University professor of public policy, said that a 3 percent drop in calories is not enough to fix the obesity epidemic. It’s an inexpensive intervention and something that anyone can do.
He and his colleagues examined how attentive people were to the calorie counts in a follow up analysis published in the American Journal of Health Economics last year.
We asked people to answer a question: “Did you see the calorie information?” Not everyone did but many did. We also asked people “How many calories did you order in your dinner tonight?” Although people were more able to understand the information, they still underestimated how many calories they had ordered.
Cawley stated that study participants were also open to calorie counts. It’s easy to use, cheap and people love it. It’s a great idea.
However, earlier studies that examined the effects of calorie counts in fast-food restaurants after labeling was required for Philadelphia and New York City in 2008, did not show any difference.
Brian Elbel, a New York University professor of population health policy and health policy, stated that “labeling had no impact on people’s food buying behaviors.”
However, research continues and larger studies could provide additional insight. So, the question is, “Are [calorie counts] effective?” He said that he believes the jury is still out on this question.
He said that the evidence to date suggests that labels don’t have a significant effect on average consumers.
Laura Flynn Endres enjoys eating out and appreciates the calorie counts on menus. They help her make healthier choices. She might select a lower-calorie menu item over a higher-calorie one. She might also choose a lower-calorie option if she indulges in high-calorie food.
The Los Angeles personal trainer stated that it’s all about the bigger picture and the overall eating plan. “I don’t skip breakfast because it’s going out for dinner. But I might eat eggs whites for breakfast instead of eggs on toast with butter.
She hears from clients who are shocked to learn about the calorie count of certain dishes and how much they cost.
She said, “I tell them it’s not to imply that you can’t have high-calorie foods. It’s just that you need the knowledge that it is possible.”
Researchers discovered another benefit to the labeling requirements, which may be beneficial for consumers. The results of a study that was conducted on 59 major restaurant chains between 2012-2019 and published in JAMA Network Open last year found that restaurants did NOT alter the calorie content of their existing menu items in response to the nationwide labeling requirements. However, new items that were introduced after the requirement had an average 113 calories, which is about a 25% reduction compared to new items that were introduced prior.
Anna Grummon (postdoctoral fellow at Harvard School of Public Health), said that calories labels can lead to changes in the foods retailers offer. She highlighted that the labels encourage retailers to introduce lower-calorie products.
Experts say that labeling can assist people in making informed choices about their diets, and not just calories. People didn’t know the nutritional content of restaurant foods before menu labeling. This included fat, cholesterol and sodium as well as carbohydrates, sugar, fiber, protein, and carbohydrate.
Tewksbury stated that “prior to chain restaurants actually identifying calories, it was quite a challenge for anyone looking to track their calorie intake or reduce their sodium intake or fat intake.” People who are more health conscious can now eat out without worrying about their health while still achieving their goals.