Menu Labeling and Calorie Recommendations Have Little Impact on Consumers’ Food Choices

September 4, 2013- A new study by the American Journal of Public Health finds that informing diners of their recommended calorie intake does not help them use calorie labels on menus more effectively.

The report comes as many states are introducing regulations that require restaurants to post calorie counts on menus.

Researchers analyzed the behaviors of 1,121 lunchtime customers at two McDonald’s restaurants in New York City. The study looked at the potential interaction between pre-existing menu labeling and the addition of recommended calorie intake. Three groups were shown different information: their recommended daily calorie intake, their recommended per-meal calorie intake, and no additional information.

The results suggest that incorporating calorie recommendations did not help customers make better use of the calorie-labeled menus. The study also showed that providing calorie recommendations, whether calories per-day or per-meal, did not reduce the number of calories purchased.

“These results provide little hope that calorie recommendations will salvage the apparent weak or nonexistent effect of menu labeling in the field,” the authors said. “Regardless of whether menu labeling has the intended effect of reducing calorie consumption, we are in agreement with policymakers that increased transparency in product labeling is inherently desirable.”

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