Including Calorie Numbers on Menus Has Little Effect

However, changing portion size and price could have a surprising result. A commonly held view is that calorific information on restaurant menus helps customers manage calorie consumption. In an online survey over 60% of respondents agreed. And in the halls of NYC’s Board of Health they felt so strongly about the display of calorific values, it’s been a legal requirement for short-order restaurants since 2008. In the study, Calorie Labeling and Food Choices: A First Look at the Effects on Low-Income People in New York City by New York University, only half of the customers questioned had noticed any calorie labeling on menu boards. Of those, just over 27% said the information influenced their choices. However, saying you’re influenced is very different from being influenced. The study found there was no change in the number of calories purchased after the introduction of calorie labeling. online before print Oct 2011, Health Aff November/December 2011