Shine OnAre calorie counts on menus useful?
When calorie information about your favourite fast food indulgence stares you right in the face, do you read it to help you make a healthier choice?
A new study suggests only one in three do. While calorie counts on menus are increasing in popularity among fast food and chain restaurants in North America, their effectiveness is questionable.
Some research suggests menu calorie counts may encourage people to make healthier choices, yet other studies show them to be relatively ineffective.
The most recent study on the topic shows that only one in three diners reads the calorie information provided. The good news is if you happen to be one of those people, then you will likely make healthier choices, reports Reuters.
Also see: Why moms today need fewer calories
The study, published in the Journal of Public Health, looked at the responses of over 4,300 U.S. participants.
The researchers found that about 36 per cent of people who saw calorie information on menus actually read them. Of those that read the information, 95 per cent said they sometimes used the data to make their food choice.
"Using this information can help consumers select choices that are tasty and satisfying yet perhaps with a few less calories to help manage overall daily caloric intake," says lead author Holly Wethington from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also see: How to maximize your food's nutrients
The study also found that women were more likely to read calorie information than men.
"Ideally we hope that restaurant patrons see the calorie information posted at fast food and other restaurants and choose a meal with fewer calories," says Katherine Bauer from the Center for Obesity Research and Education, who was not involved in the study. "So far, the evidence is really mixed about whether that actually happens."
Bauer notes that studies conducted in New York City, Seattle and Philadelphia show no difference in the amount of calories consumers purchased before and after calorie menu labelling laws came into effect.
What are your thoughts on calorie menu labelling? Should Canada follow the lead of some U.S. cities and implement mandatory labelling? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
