Calorie Count on Menus Not Effective

38% of Americans were obese in 2013-2014 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) up 6 points from 32%. New mandate (effective Dec. 2016) states that all chain restaurants must place calorie counts on the menu. In one study, based off of NY’s law required calorie count in 2008, people initially noticed the calories but eventually started to ignore it. At no time did the calorie count reduce the calories the diners ordered. There was an increase in nutritional awareness but no change in behavior. This was also cited in a case from Seattle in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine and Dep. of Ag. Nutrition Evidence Library. Apparently, Health Affairs have found that training servers to ask the customers whether they would like to downsize their three starchy side reduced calories by 200 in 1/3 of the customers (I would be mad.)

Source: Aaron E. Carroll http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/upshot/more-menus-have-calorie-labeling-but-obesity-rate-remains-high.html