This resulted in the enactment of new menu nutrition labeling laws last March. While many praised this move, it was unclear how effective this new law would be at altering dietary behaviors. Unfortunately, early returns appear to be disappointing.
In a new research study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, investigators assessed the impact of menu labeling on eating habits in King County, Washington, which includes Seattle[1]. Back in January 2009, fast food restaurants in King County were required to disclose calorie and other nutrition information on their menus. To determine the impact of this requirement on changes in eating habits by customers, the researchers chose one fast food restaurant chain and compared the total transactions and average calories per transaction at 14 locations both before and after the law was enacted. The study investigators reported that from August 2009 to January 2010 (about 7 to 13 months after enactment of the menu labeling laws) eating behaviors remained unchanged. In fact, both transaction value and the number of calories per transaction were unaffected by posting nutritional information on menus. In essence, people's eating habits at this fast food chain were not altered by their increased awareness of the food's nutritional value and calorie content. Based on the results of this one study, the researchers suggest that menu labeling by itself might not be an effective way to induce healthier eating habits and reduce obesity risk.
These are clearly disappointing results, though the reason for them remain unclear. One possible reason is a potential flaw in the study. The study investigators point out that this fast food chain provided a "Healthy Highlights" logo on their menus prior to enactment of the menu labeling laws. Because of this logo the researchers felt that patrons of the restaurant might have already been making healthier choices and therefore less likely to make any additional changes to their eating behaviors.
An alternative, though very negative, way to look at the results of this study is to conclude that as a population we simply don't care about the healthfulness of the food we eat. While that might be true of a rare number individuals, I find that difficult to believe overall.
In either case, it is clear that an awareness of the nutritional value of the food offered in this particular study did not alter eating habits. If the results of this initial study are confirmed in future studies, it will probably be necessary to find alternative or complementary approaches to inducing ourselves to eat healthier.
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