Altering Your Food Choices

You may think that you are in control of what you order at a restaurant, but a new study has shown that one change to the menu can alter your food choices.  Several states have begun forcing restaurants to list the number of calories that are in their menu choices, but what impact does that really have?

When I traveled to Vancouver, Canada for my most recent education class I stopped at the Seattle airport.  At all of the restaurants in the airport they had to list the number of calories on the menu overhead.  I loved the idea, but I have to admit, even I did a double take.  I thought when I walked up to one of the restaurants, I though I had picked out a fairly healthy item, only to realize there were a ton of hidden calories in it.  So I chose a different restaurant to eat at.  So it works with me, a health junkie, but what about others.

Today the USA Today published a story about the impact of listing calories on the menu.  They watched three groups:

• One group was given menus with calories listed by the menu items.
• A second group was given a menu with calories and the recommendation to consume only 2,000 calories a day.
• The third group had a regular menu with no calories.

So which group ate the least?  The second group.  They were told how many calories they were about to consume as well as the recommendation to consume only 2,000 caloreis a day.  They still consumed on average of 1,380 calories at dinner and afterwards, but that was still less than the 1,630 calories the other group consumed.

Does it work? Yes
Do we have a long way to go? YES!

Hopefully this requirement will be done nationwide in the future.

What are your thoughts?  Comment below.