New Research Shows Calorie Count Laws Might Actually Be Helping

By Kelly Turner on November 11th, 2009

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A few days ago I wrote the article Have Calorie Count Laws Made a Difference? in which the answer was, well, no, at least according to a report issued by advocacy groups Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Seeing the calorie count of each menu item didn’t effect the way people ordered at chain restaurants.

Now, new research says that the calorie count laws have, in fact, resulted in positive changes. Oh, research, it seems we can barely trust even you anymore.

The New York Times reports that city health officials have said New Yorkers ordered fewer calories at four chains — Au Bon Pain, KFC, McDonald’s and Starbucks — after the law went into effect last year.

The changes were modest and the research also showed a significant increase in the amount of calories ordered at Subway which “researchers attributed to a continuing $5 promotional special on foot-long sandwiches that has tripled demand for them.”

The findings of the two reports appear to be contradictory, but researchers say the differences in the size and focus of the areas studies could be to blame. At least they didn’t find an increase in the number of calories ordered, right? I have a feeling I may be writing a third article on this subject in the next few days….

So now we have two different sets of findings — one good, and one indifferent. Even with the modest, if at all, reports of changes, I still feel that more information can never be a bad thing. Of those who do not live in an area affected by the calorie count posting law, do you wish they would pass it in your area? Would you like to know, or couldn’t care less?