Pilot study of menu labeling in Kaiser Permanente hospital workplace cafeterias

In the midst of the obesity epidemic, Americans are eating one billion meals a week outside the home; a practice which is a likely contributor to the documented increase in daily calorie intake by adults. A pilot intervention was evaluated to assess the impact of menu labeling on Kaiser hospital cafeteria patron awareness, attitudes, and menu item selection. The 12-week intervention included five hospital cafeteria sites: two sites posted countertop menu boards plus nutrition poster; one site was assigned poster only; and two sites were controls (no posted calorie information). Data were collected at lunchtime during weeks 1-4 and weeks 9-12; signs and menu boards were posted during weeks 5-12. Once per week during weeks 9-12, surveys related to awareness and attitudes about posted calorie information were distributed. Approximately 69% of respondents at the menu board sites, and 58% of respondents at the poster only site noticed the posted calorie information (p<0.05). Among those who noticed the information, approximately 30% stated that their purchase that day was influenced by the calorie information. At menu board sites, 76% of respondents either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that the calorie information was useful, and that was the case in 70% of those from the poster only site (p<0.10). Approximately 85% of respondents at the menu board and poster only sites either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that cafeterias should provide calorie information. These findings substantiate state and national polls supporting menu labeling.