If you think the health care reform bill had nothing to do with your lunch, think again. A little noticed national calorie labeling rule tucked into the legislation assures that within a couple of years, everyone who walks into a chain restaurant will see calories counts displayed alongside the price of a meal.
The public health concept is twofold. Making restaurants post calorie counts might drive them to compete with healthier menu items instead of just on price and taste. And if customers learn that a Whopper is 670 calories and a caramel Frappucino is 380, they might make different choices.
New Yorkers have been living with highly visible calorie counts on chain restaurant menus for a couple of years. The results have been mixed at best.
Although the federal law is based largely on the one designed by the New York City Health Department, there are difference.
The rules about where the calories counts have to be at drive-through menus have been tightened. And the law only applies to chains with 20 restaurants or more. The New York law applies to chains with at least 15 restaurants. The change was requested by the National Restaurant Association, which wanted uniform standards nationwide.
Sixteen other states and localities have passed similar laws, and more are pending. The national law will supersede the local laws. So the Centers for Science in the Public Interest, which began a campaign for nutrition labeling at restaurants seven years ago, is suggesting people who worked for the fast food calorie labeling law turn their attention to getting calorie counts listed at cafeterias in hospitals and government buildings.
Reprinted from The New York Times, Kim Severson 3/23/10
The public health concept is twofold. Making restaurants post calorie counts might drive them to compete with healthier menu items instead of just on price and taste. And if customers learn that a Whopper is 670 calories and a caramel Frappucino is 380, they might make different choices.
New Yorkers have been living with highly visible calorie counts on chain restaurant menus for a couple of years. The results have been mixed at best.
Although the federal law is based largely on the one designed by the New York City Health Department, there are difference.
The rules about where the calories counts have to be at drive-through menus have been tightened. And the law only applies to chains with 20 restaurants or more. The New York law applies to chains with at least 15 restaurants. The change was requested by the National Restaurant Association, which wanted uniform standards nationwide.
Sixteen other states and localities have passed similar laws, and more are pending. The national law will supersede the local laws. So the Centers for Science in the Public Interest, which began a campaign for nutrition labeling at restaurants seven years ago, is suggesting people who worked for the fast food calorie labeling law turn their attention to getting calorie counts listed at cafeterias in hospitals and government buildings.
Reprinted from The New York Times, Kim Severson 3/23/10
