So...when are we going to start labelling our menu's?

[kipperfan]

Maybe it's just me, but legislation like this is long overdue in Canada, especially with obesity continuing to plague our population and health care system. Why is it that every product I buy in a food store is made to provide me with a complete nutritional breakdown on the label but in a restaurant has no obligation to provide anything? That doesn’t make any sense. Some of the “chain” fast food places have little nutritional cards you can get if you ask, but the reality for most people is "out of sight, out of mind", which is why these laws are badly needed. California and NYC passed menu labelling in 2008 and both places have seen benefits already. The federal government (in the US) passed something similar in 2010 but I can't find anything to confirm if it has indeed gone into effect.

U.S. research shows that as few as one-tenth-of-one-percent of chain restaurant customers seek out nutritional brochures that are provided in less conspicuous places (such as underneath counters or on the bottom of tray liners). The usage rate is 150-fold higher when such information is posted on menus, according to a survey of restaurant customers in New York City where such labelling has been mandatory since 2008.

A Study of 8,000 New York City restaurant customers of 168 outlets of 11 chains before and after the city’s menu labelling law into effect found that the 15% of customers who reported using the calorie information purchased a very substantial 96 fewer calories (11% less) per transaction after controlling for gender, age, income level and neighbourhood income level.

Stanford university economists examining 100 million Starbucks transaction records at 222 outlets in NYC and 94 in comparison cities (Boston and Philadelphia) observed a 14% decline in calorie levels of food transactions in New York City as a result of customers choosing fewer foods and substituting lower calorie items.

Even trained dieticians are inaccurate at estimating the calorie counts and sodium levels in restaurant foods. Without nutrition information on menus, how could a consumer know that:

- Montana’s Large Beef Ribs have 1490 calories – three quarters of the daily recommended calories for an average adult – four and a half times as many calories as in its 8oz. Sirloin Steak (330 calories).

- Tim Horton’s Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich has nearly double the calories (530 calories) of the English Muffin with Egg and Cheese (280 calories).

- Pizza Hut children’s menu’s Boneless Bites with Honey BBQ sauce contains 1620mg of sodium, which is nearly four times the sodium in the children’s Veggie Lover’s 6’ pan pizza (430mg) and more than the 1,200 mg od Sodium recommended for children for an entire day.

- McDonald’s Angus Bacon & Cheese Sandwich has nearly triple the sodium (1,990 mg) of the Big Xtra Sandwich (700mg).

http://cspinet.org/canada/pdf/expert...-labelling.pdf

Meanwhile, this issue is currently heating up in the GTA. Toronto Chief Medical Examiner Dr. David Mckeown is pushing to have chain restraurants list their calorie and sodium information on their menu boards. The doctor is even going so far as to advise the city to make a By-Law if the province themselves won't act.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/04...-cheeseburger/

The author of the above article clearly disagrees with the doctor (and 92% of Canadians BTW) but all he can cite to support his own opinion is a 2011 study that took place in a Belgian cafeteria - not exactly what I would call intriguing consider what else I have cited above.


Anyways, enough from me, what does everyone else think? Is there any possible reason in this world we wouldn't want this information availible to us when eating out? Personally I would like to see this implemented at every restaurant - but realize the economics of that might not work. Thoughts?

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Knowledge is power...making that data cheap and easy to access has no downside I can see.

[Bill Bumface]

I'll admit the labelled fast food menus guilt me into other choices sometimes when visiting the US. I wish they'd do it at all restaurants here, mostly so people realize they just ordered a 1500 calorie "salad" trying to make a healthy choice at Earl's and the rest.

[rubecube]

Needs larger font.

[Table 5]

I love labelled menus. They don't necessarily prevent me from eating at unhealthy restaurants all the time, but Ive found they steer me into eating something a little more healthy on the menu when given the choice.

[Sliver]

I'd love to see this. If nutritional information was conveniently available in restaurant menus I would totally use it to order healthier food.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Needs larger font.

Not really

[kipperfan]

Also from the article in the OP:

In 2005, as a bill proposing to mandate nutrition disclosure on menus was advancing in the House of Commons, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association launched its voluntary “Nutrition Information Program” which it maintained would provide such information to customers at many of Canada’s largest chains. Reassured by such promises and discouraged by industry claims that mandating nutrition labelling would be unworkable, MP’s defeated the bill in November 2006.

Well, now that claim has been totally disproven in the States I look forward the Conservative government bring this issue to the forefront....

[ken0042]

I did notice McDonalds puts the nutritional info on a lot of their main menu items now. Which is good, because we all know they are not healthy for you long term.

[mykalberta]

I have never seen a labelled menu and I hope I never do - I am glad McD and Wendys etc have the nutrition guides, that is all I want. Walk into restaurant and there should be a little guide provided if you want one detailing the nutrition.

Obesity isnt because someone goes out to eat once a week and has a 1500 cal salad. Its because that person doesnt get off his or her respective lardy a$$e$ and move around. Sitting watching Ellen or playing video games is not exercise.

I hate how mama and papa government use the guise of "publically funded" healthcare system as a justification for this sort of nanny state BS.

Tell people the truth. You arent morbidly obese because your salad dressing is high in calories, or because oreo cookies are high in calories, its because piggies eat a whole bag of oreo cookies, or a large bag chips in 1 setting and dont do enough (or likely any) exercise.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I did notice McDonalds puts the nutritional info on a lot of their main menu items now. Which is good, because we all know they are not healthy for you long term.

I never go there (accept when travelling in Europe - for some strange reason) so I hadn't noticed - but that is great to hear - hopefully they can become the industry standard and make other chains follow them - with or without legislation.

[troutman]

BC has started a voluntary program where chain restaurants can add nutritional info to the menus, and a number of chains have joined the program. Heard about it on CBC Radio.

http://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/informed-dining

The Informed Dining program is a voluntary nutrition information program for restaurants developed by the Province of British Columbia. Participating restaurants provide their guests with nutrition information, that is easy to access and understand, for all standard menu items.

http://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home...ng-restaurants
See if your favourite B.C. restaurant has signed up for the Informed Dining program and view their nutrition menus. Upon request, participating restaurants provide nutrition information for all standard menu items, before or at the point of ordering.

A&W Teen Burger: 500 cal, 26 g total fat, 1220 mg sodium

Little Caesars Pepperoni slice: 390 cal, 13.9 g fat, 750 mg sodium

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I have never seen a labelled menu and I hope I never do - I am glad McD and Wendys etc have the nutrition guides, that is all I want. Walk into restaurant and there should be a little guide provided if you want one detailing the nutrition.

Obesity isnt because someone goes out to eat once a week and has a 1500 cal salad. Its because that person doesnt get off his or her respective lardy a$$e$ and move around. Sitting watching Ellen or playing video games is not exercise.

I hate how mama and papa government use the guise of "publically funded" healthcare system as a justification for this sort of nanny state BS.

Tell people the truth. You arent morbidly obese because your salad dressing is high in calories, or because oreo cookies are high in calories, its because piggies eat a whole bag of oreo cookies, or a large bag chips in 1 setting and dont do enough (or likely any) exercise.

There is no "one" reason for obesity. Studies from reputable organizations like Stanford have already proven that most people intake less calories when the info is on the menu boards. This may or may not help you, but stats indicate it will help most.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by troutman

BC has started a voluntary program where chain restaurants can add nutritional info to the menus, and a number of chains have joined the program. Heard about it on CBC Radio.

Good to hear - any chain jumping on board with this campaign will definatley have to chance to win me as a customer (assuming they also provide healthy options on those menus, not just detail their terribly unhealthy food).

[kipperfan]

Ok - sorry for the post spamming but I feel the need to mention also that this isn't just about obesity (though that is a major factor). I am not obese, in fact I'm not even close to being even marginally overweight, but I still would really benefit from menu labelling legislation on a day to day basis.

I like to keep rough track of how much sodium/fat/calories/protein I take in each day and without menu labelling you basically have to guess when eating out - and as my quote in the OP notes, even a trained dietician cannot do that effectively.

[SeeBass]

So maybe if more people knew how much fat was in a side of ranch some people wont get so mad if they cant get extra

[Hockeyguy15]

Lots of chain restaurants have nutritional information on their website, it's pretty easy to take a look before you go.

http://www.earls.ca/food-menu/starters#nutrition
http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com...n_selector.php
http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/en/nutritional-charts/

I think a lot of people claim that they want the info, but don't make the effort to see if it's already available.

[photon]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

There is no "one" reason for obesity. Studies from reputable organizations like Stanford have already proven that most people intake less calories when the info is on the menu boards. This may or may not help you, but stats indicate it will help most.

Not only that, the amount of salt and fat and other stuff in food is highly tuned to maximize input at a physiological and psychological level.

Doritos have enough salt and taste to make you want more (and not just a desire level, but at a biological level), but they purposely keep the taste level down enough to prevent the brain from triggering the part that says "I've eaten enough".

http://www.amazon.com/Salt-Sugar-Fat-Giants-Hooked

I've read some of what that book covers and I've got the audiobook to listen to in my list.

That's why something like this I think is a good idea because the food makers doing what they do is a public health level issue.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Personally I would like to see this implemented at every restaurant - but realize the economics of that might not work.

Ya, sounds good in principal but this could be a real hardship for non-chain restaurants. Can you imagine if you had a lunch special that changed every day and you had to figure all of that our first?

[John Doe]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I have never seen a labelled menu and I hope I never do - I am glad McD and Wendys etc have the nutrition guides, that is all I want. Walk into restaurant and there should be a little guide provided if you want one detailing the nutrition.

Obesity isnt because someone goes out to eat once a week and has a 1500 cal salad. Its because that person doesnt get off his or her respective lardy a$$e$ and move around. Sitting watching Ellen or playing video games is not exercise.

I hate how mama and papa government use the guise of "publically funded" healthcare system as a justification for this sort of nanny state BS.

Tell people the truth. You arent morbidly obese because your salad dressing is high in calories, or because oreo cookies are high in calories, its because piggies eat a whole bag of oreo cookies, or a large bag chips in 1 setting and dont do enough (or likely any) exercise.

The reason for having the nutritional facts on a menu is not just for 'battling obesity'. For example, I am on a reduced sodium diet due to heart problems and find it very difficult to eat out with these constraints. With the nutritional information on the menus I would be better able to make better choices. I know of others who have to watch their cholesterol levels, potassium levels, etc., and this information would be very valuable to them as well.