Bill would force restaurants to list fat, calories

Last Updated: 2003-11-05 16:18:41 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Maggie Fox

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal legislation introduced on Wednesday would force fast-food and other chain restaurants to display how many calories and how much fat and sodium customers are getting in each item.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro introduced the bill, called the Menu Education and Labeling or MEAL bill, in the House. Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin said he would introduce a similar measure in the Senate.

The bill applies to standard menu items offered by chains with 20 or more outlets. If passed, it would affect groups such as Yum Brands Inc., which operates Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, McDonald's, Denny's.

"Obesity is one of our nation's most pressing health issues," DeLauro told a news conference. "This bill ... will give consumers the necessary nutritional information to make healthy choices for themselves."

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese and thus at higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

The food and restaurant industry has argued that a lack of exercise is just as responsible, if not more responsible, for the trend.

But DeLauro said eating out is also to blame.

She noted that Americans spend 46 percent of food dollars in restaurants now as compared to 26 percent in 1970.

"And studies have shown that children eat almost twice as many calories when they eat at a restaurant as they do when they eat at home," DeLauro said.

At the same time, the Center for Science in the Public Interest published a poll showing that Americans want this information.

CUSTOMERS WANT TO KNOW

"People have come to expect nutritional information in markets and the poll we are releasing today shows that two-thirds of people expect it in restaurants," the CSPI's Margo Wootan said in an interview.

The CSPI telephone survey of 600 adults showed 67 percent support the idea of requiring fast-food restaurants to display the calorie content of their foods on menus and menu boards.

The survey, with a margin of error of four points, showed that 36 percent strongly support the idea.

The CSPI notes that between 1978 and 1995, the average person's daily calorie intake rose by 167 calories, from 1,876 to 2,043 calories. If not countered by exercise, this is more than enough to lay on an extra pound every month.

The 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act put nutritional information on the labels of packaged foods but restaurants are exempted.

The restaurant industry argues that this makes sense when the ingredients of meals change from day to day.

"This legislation wouldn't affect restaurants with fewer than 20 outlets, so mom and pop diners and fancy gourmet restaurants would not be required to test or label anything," Wootan said.

"A McDonald's Big Mac has 590 calories no matter where you get it." The CSPI said people have no idea just how calorie-laden many items are.

"Everyone knows that the vegetable of the day is better than french fries ... but I think people would be surprised to learn that french fries have 10 times as many calories," Wootan said.

"I think this bill will pass," she added. "It'll just be a matter of how many years it will take to pass it."

The National Restaurant Association said the bill was unnecessary.


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