In the Health Care Reform Act (Public Law 111-146) there is a rule for listing the food calories of food sold in chain restaurants, next to food sold in vending machines and in retail outlets. This is for businesses with 20 or more outlets. A statement is to be made about recommended food calorie allowances. The FDA (since 1990) has used 2000 kcal per day as a standard on packaged foods. Restaurants are no longer exempt from this rule.

The goal is to reduce the epidemic of obesity in the United States. People usually underestimate the caloric content of foods. Children, now, eat twice as many calories at restaurants as at home.

New York State requires restaurants with more than 15 outlets to report calories since 2008. This was after an unsuccessful attempt to block the reporting by the New York State Restaurant Association. California, Oregon and Maine have required labeling since 2009. State laws will be voided by the new national law.

A study in New York City showed that 28% of customers were aware of the calorie reports, but, a check of register receipts showed little differences in food choices from the rest of the customers. The restaurants were located in poor areas where people were looking for low-priced foods with high calories and where there was little else to choose from.

Chains have been requested to reduce calories voluntarily and an unpublished report from New York says that “calorie reductions of about 10% have been common.”

This process tries to help people see the relationship between body weight the food they eat. Calories are “kilocalories, and 1 kcal is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a liter of water by 1 degree at 1 atmosphere of pressure.” Larger portions have more calories. McDonald’s French fries have 230 calories in a small order, 380 calories in a medium and 500 calories in a large order.

CONCLUSION: Calories are important for weight control. Labeling in restaurants may help people control their weight.

“…share a 670-kcal Pain Quotidien cookie with three friends.”

PMID: 20375399.

Summary #392.