Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
So the New York Times ran a story about early research on the impact of New York City's calorie labeling postings by fast food restaurants. The research, done by some of my New York University colleagues, looked at what customers said they were doing and compared what they said to what they actually did. Oops. Customers said the labeling made them choose foods more carefully but they actually bought more calories.
So, should we give up on this idea? No way. These are preliminary results looking at what happened during the first few weeks of calorie labeling in fast food places in low-income areas of New York City. In such areas, restaurant choices are few, cheap food is a necessity, and people go to fast food places precisely because they can get lots of calories at low cost.
I can think of several excellent reasons for calorie labeling, none of them addressed by this particular study and all of them supported by considerable observational evidence:
• People do not understand calories very well; calorie labeling can begin the education process especially if accompanied by materials explaining that most people require about 2,000 calories a day.
• Some people--not all, of course--will change their behavior and choose lower calorie items when they realize how many calories are in fast food.
• Fast food places will reduce the number of calories in the items they serve.
This last one may be the most important. Just as labeling the amount of trans fat in processed foods caused food manufacturers to eliminate trans fats from their products, so fast food sellers are looking for ways to reduce the calories in their products. This is already happening and is the easiest way I can think of to encourage people to eat less: don't serve as much.
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If people from low-income areas of NYC (or anywhere else) "go to fast food places precisely because they can get lots of calories at low cost," how is fast food places serving less food going to help? That is just going to lead to higher costs for the same amount of food.
I agree that having labels everywhere may lead to a beginning of educating people about calories. But still, isn't it possible calorie labeling at fast food places could lead to the opposite of the desired effect? If I didn't know much about calories and walked into a McDonald's and saw a grilled chicken sandwich that I associate with "healthy" for $5 and 420 calories and then a double cheeseburger for $2 and about 440 calories, I'm going to buy the burger since it's the same calories and tastier for less money.
I see a few other issues too. Who remembers how many calories he/she had at a previous meal so 2000 calories/day is a poor reference point. We need to start talking about calories/meal. Also, someone who goes mainly to fast food restaurants will basically be comparing calories from different fast food restaurants, and not between home cooking and the fast food.
Finally, there have been a few posts on Atlantic blogs (Coates, for ex) about how we need to think about the psychology of low-income people when implementing new policies. I'm glad research is being done now to identify potential problems. These policies cost money and if in the long run the money is better spent by improving the habits of children through school cafeteria programs, then that's important to know.
It would explain how obesity rates kept rising through the 90's and 00's when calorie labels on ordinary food became more prevalent and precise.
"Fast food places will reduce the number of calories in the items they serve."
Or Burger King or Hardee's will be the first to introduce a single item that has more than 2000 kcal.
And, I for one, would like to try it, but my wife won't let me.
To really address the obesity problem, there needs to be a complete approach and labeling nutrition data (not just calories) is one piece of the puzzle, but won't do much on its own.
We need the health and fitness professions and organizations that have a stake in leading people to better health to step up to the plate and join together with restaurants in promoting healthier choices.
The restaurants would win because they would get business from the co-promotion and the health businesses would benefit from the exposure they gain by being a champion of the healthier dining cause in their communities.
Chris McNeil, founder
FitMenu Restaurant Nutrition and Healthy Dining Program
http://www.fitmenu.net
I don't think labeling of foods at fast food restaurants will really matter anyway, because those eating there are not particularly your "health conscious" type, and would not pay much attention to the calories to begin with. The obesity problem needs a different focus, one that emphasizes some form of regular exercise and eating in moderation. Labeling is a great first step, but I don't remember looking at the calories when I have a burger. I just eat and then continue my regular exercise later. http://www.mydochub.com
The Fast Food industry is using the nutritional labeling system as an opportunity to prove legitimacy. For Christ's sake, look at the photo added here. They have graphic design people getting paid to put together that label.
It's more marketing. We have to stop letting industry own our social movements like nutrition.
We (a government of people) should establish our food labeling policies to fight the disgusting filth that the fast food industries have left for us.
We should use our regulatory powers to declassify "fast food" as food because it's not. It's just a gross product; a misstep in the industrialization of man. One way of doing that is to quit trying to concede power to these corporations by giving them a chance to introduce a "healthier" side of their product.
At least, if we want to actually take a stand for something that we believe in...
What a bald-faced argument, not for improved health, but for the continuing need for nutritionists.
"People do not understand calories very well; calorie labeling can begin the education process especially if accompanied by materials explaining that most people require about 2,000 calories a day."
Maybe someone will hire the author to write those materials?
Most people require a diet filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins.
Classifying people's nutritional needs in calories is practically akin saying most people need 8 Snickers bars a day or 4 Subway sandwiches. It is saying, here is a way that a Big Mac fits into your diet. (Now go home and eat celery for the rest of the day.)
Calories do not fulfill people's nutritional needs, foods do.
We should replace all these calorie counts with a simple sign on the door to fast food restaurants reading, "It would be healthier for you and your family if you went home and cooked. Welcome to McDonalds."