199945 Positive Impact of Menu Labeling on Food Choices and Intake

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 1:10 PM

Christina A. Roberto, MS , Department of Psychology/School of Epidemiology & Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT
  
Context: Menu labeling for chain restaurants has been proposed to help address concerns about poor diet and obesity, but little research has tested its impact.

Objective: To determine the impact of kilocalorie (calorie) labels on restaurant menus on food choices and intake.

Methods: 295 participants were randomly assigned to either: 1) a menu without calorie labels (No Calorie Labels); 2) a menu with calorie labels (Calorie Labels); 3) a menu with calorie labels and a label stating “the recommended daily caloric intake for an average adult is 2000 calories” (Calorie Labels plus Information). Participants were allowed to order from the menu; food choices and consumption were objectively measured. Subjects returned the next day for a dietary recall assessment to assess eating after the study meal.

Measures: Measures were total calories ordered and consumed during a dinner meal, total calories consumed post-dinner, and the combination.

Results: Participants in both calorie label conditions ordered significantly fewer calories than the No Calorie Labels condition. When both calorie label conditions were combined, that group consumed significantly fewer calories (mean = 1289 ± 656) than the No Calorie Labels group (mean = 1466 ± 724), a 14% difference. Individuals in the Calorie Labels condition consumed significantly more calories after the study dinner compared to both other conditions, which did not differ from one another. Overall, individuals in the Calorie Labels plus Information condition consumed significantly fewer calories for the study meal combined with calories consumed later in the day (approximately 250 calories fewer) than either of the other two conditions.

Conclusions: Calorie labels on restaurant menus can positively impact the food choices people make when ordering a meal as well as overall calorie intake. The results underscore the importance of adding the recommended daily caloric requirements label to restaurant menus.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the impact of calorie labels on restaurant menus on food choices and intake. 2. Discuss the menu labeling policy implications of the presented research.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have obtained a BA in psychology from Princeton University and a MS degree en route to a Joint-PhD in Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University. Relevant publications in press/under review include: Roberto CA, Agnew H, Brownell KD. (in press). An observational study of consumers accessing nutrition information in chain restaurants. American Journal of Public Health. Roberto CA, Hoffnagle E, Brownell KD. An observational study of consumer use of fast-food restaurant drive-thru lanes. (under review). Roberto CA, Schwartz M, Brownell KD. A review of the rationale and evidence for menu labeling legislation. (under review).
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Informed Choices: The Impact of Nutrition Labeling
See more of: Food and Nutrition