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Calorie listings a must on chain menus
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January 30, 2009 | 03:10 PM
A bill requiring Suffolk chain restaurants to display calorie counts on their menus barely passed the county Legislature 17-1 Tuesday.
The measure tasks the county Health Department with setting a deadline for restaurants' compliance, but bill sponsor Legislator Lou D'Amaro (D-North Babylon) said he anticipates the menu requirement to go into effect in six months.
Approximately 65 percent of American adults are considered overweight, while over 30 percent are obese. Monitoring overall food intake is central to counteracting weight gain, and the myriad health risks associated with obesity, including increased incidence of heart disease and diabetes, according to local health experts who testified at the Jan. 29 Health and Human Services Committee meeting. But calorie counting is only possible where foods come labeled with calorie tallies, which is rare when eating out.
Americans consume roughly a third of their daily calories outside the home, where law already requires packaged food items to display nutritional information, area health experts said. Adding such information to menus would allow consumers to make healthy eating choices at restaurants as well, they argued.
"It's important for people to make better food choices when eating out," said Dr. Jose Leon, medical director of Dolan Family Health Center in Greenlawn. "People always have the right to choose freely, but better choices are often accompanied by having received better information."
The law would require national chains or franchises with more than 15 restaurants in Suffolk to list calorie counts next to food items on all printed, posted, distributed or drive-thru menus.
At least one lawmaker says the plan is too selective, and questions whether consumers are actually influenced by health information.
"I already know that going to McDonald's is not a good thing," said Legislator Jack Eddington (WF-Medford). Calorie information would be more useful exactly where it would be lacking, he argued — in non-chain eateries like diners whose food items haven't received extensive negative publicity. Eddington suggested the county Health Department disseminate general calorie information and eating recommendations to residents, rather than imposing additional costs on restaurants already suffering under a recession.
Also, despite extensive information campaigns and surgeon general warnings on every carton, smoking, not obesity, remains the No. 1 cause of heart disease, according to Eddington. "Increased advice has not resulted in changing that behavior," he said. If health information has had so little impact on tobacco use, Eddington argued, why should lawmakers expect it to significantly impact food choice.
The law would target chain restaurants because, unlike unique eateries, the size and composition of their offerings are standardized, allowing for ease and accuracy in calculating calories, according to D'Amaro. In fact, many chains already disclose nutritional information online or in brochures; however, it is often not visible to customers when placing orders, the lawmaker said.
Further, studies indicate that when calorie counts are readily available, consumers order less calorie-dense food, eventually causing restaurants to offer healthier items.
"I view this as a public health crisis," D'Amaro said. "This is a time when government needs to regulate — you're going to save people's lives."
The measure now goes before County Executive Steve Levy for his signature
or veto.
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