Diabetes Health in the News Podcast: Calorie Postings And Consumer Eating Habits

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Click here to listen to today’s Diabetes Health in the News Podcast!

Researchers have recently examined the effect of calorie counts found on restaurant menus. While researchers have determined that consumers don’t tend to care much about this information, foods listed with calorie counts has led restaurants to serving healthier menu options. A study conducted at New York University School of Medicine determined that only a small number of customers at fast-food establishments chose healthier options when calorie information is provided.

While consumers are not overwhelmingly willing to change their eating habits, restaurants that voluntarily post calorie information tend to serve food options with fewer calories. Restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Panera, and McDonald’s voluntarily post calorie counts. These restaurants are known to serve food options with fewer calories than rival restaurants that don’t post this information.

These findings were published in Health Affairs on November 2, 2015.