A study release by New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shows evidence that posting calorie information on fast food restaurant menus actually does change consumer behavior.
Girl Eating Fast Food |
In July 2008, New York became the first US city to require fast food restaurants to post calorie counts in on menus, a practice that has become a stepping stone for similar rules in California, Seattle, Portland, and other cities in New York.
The decision to require nutrition information on menus is a result of an effort to combat obesity and promote good nutrition, especially for children.
Menu labeling continues to be viewed as a tool for fighting obesity. Currently, about 33% of adults in the US are obese, and another 33% are overweight. Obesity is a condition that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other medical problems. Being overweight often leads to obesity later in life.