To Tell or Not To Tell

By drodriguez Dec 04, 2007

With obesity now a mainstream epidemic in the U.S., health officials are constantly trying to think of new ways to help. A recent segment on 60 minutes discussed the push to force some fast food restaurants to go public and post calorie numbers in plain view on the menu boards.

It’s not a surprise that the restaurant industry is very much against the idea of coming clean with the numbers. The fear is that customers will be shocked by the high calorie offerings and never eat out again.

A big reason health officials believe the obesity rate in our country is so high is because Americans eat out now more than ever before. When people buy food at grocery stores and prepare meals at home they have the nutrition label right there on the package. The information offered on nutrition labels allows the consumer to be mindful of what they are feeding themselves and their family.

Nutrition and marketing professor Brian Wansink believes that people tend to make the biggest mistakes when they think they are eating healthy. He pointed out during the 60 Minutes segment that many people think a tuna salad would be the healthy choice (probably because of the word ‘salad’), when in actuality the tuna salad may contain many more calories than something like a roast beef sandwich.

Professor Wansink also stated, “When people are eating in a restaurant they think is healthy, people grossly underestimate how much they eat by about 50 percent.” The idea is that if nutritional information was more widely available at restaurants, people who were making an effort to eat healthy would have some help and people who were living unhealthy lifestyles may be more motivated to cut some calories out of their diet.

Click here to watch the 60minute video - it's interesting!

What do you think of instating regulations on fast food restaurants that would force them to include calories on the menu boards?

Is this something you and your family would want to know before you make a food purchase?

Comment below or click here to join a a discussion forum on this topic.

Make a Comment

Comments

by catlady6 | BROWNS MILLS, NJ

Dec 12, 2007

You can lead a horse to water....It is hard to beleive that with all the media screaming about our overweight population people continue to eat so poorly. I'm sure you can't find an adult in America who doesn't already know that most fast food is unhealthy. Yet so many obviously continue to consume it. Attempting to educate the masses seems like the honorable way to go. However, I'm pretty sure people will continue to chow down.

I'm just peeved that I help pay the cost of poor heath resulting from poor decision making.

by caseycolette | TRUSSVILLE, AL

Dec 11, 2007

5 days ago rcourtn1 says:

Dangerous food should be regulated. Tobacco and Alcohol should not come in kids containers so they should not sell dangerous food items that way either. It needs to be regulated and controlled. The public will continue to buy what is on the market if it is fast, cheap and it tastes good.

very well said sir

by Seismo07 | Ione, WA

Dec 11, 2007

Offering nutriton info allows anyone to make an informed decision. I will never understand these restaurants offering more and more fattening fare..come on! who needs a triple bacon cheeseburger???

by babygirl92699 | INGLESIDE, IL

Dec 11, 2007

I agree.I think they should let us know as well.

by connieonthego | griffin, GA

Dec 11, 2007

If they didnt have anything to hide they would post all the information about all that they serve..you shouldnt have to ask to see it..i am proud of what i sell/give to my clients and everything is out in the open.ncarlson i do take responsibility for what i eat but why do i have to ask for list of calorie numbers,nutritional value...ect...it should be posted

by luana112 | North Olmsted, OH

Dec 11, 2007

All restaurants, not only fast food restaurants, should post the nutritional information on the menu.

by jovi13 | Carlstadt, NJ

Dec 11, 2007

I think they should post all the nuTrional value so pepole know how many calories and what the fat content is and what type of fat

by ncarlson | WICHITA, KS

Dec 11, 2007

I can not believe some of these comments, especially from meggahottie. I don?t know if you had a bad restaurant experience, but that is a very bold statement to make about all restaurants. The truth is that 76% of meals are prepared at home. When are people going to take responsibility for what they eat? If you have a sandwich made with 5 ingredients there are 120 different ways that sandwich can be ordered. Most chain restaurants already provide this information if you just take the time to ask.

by kirstensapphire | Fremont, CA

Dec 11, 2007

I think they should, because every person should know what their consuming.

by Nutmeg235 | Quincy, MA

Dec 10, 2007

Yes, they should. We cannot charge citizens to be mindful and make ethical and intelligent decisions if we do not supply them with the information they need.

by rcourtn1 | Hamlin, NY

Dec 06, 2007

Dangerous food should be regulated. Tobacco and Alcohol should not come in kids containers so they should not sell dangerous food items that way either. It needs to be regulated and controlled. The public will continue to buy what is on the market if it is fast, cheap and it tastes good.

by poniap | lake geneva, WI

Dec 06, 2007

Restaurants owe it to the public to reveal not only calorie's ....but the whole nine yards for the nutritional value of the product they sell to consumers. Even a step above that... I feel it's our rights to know (where and what) we are eating. If I am consuming a hamburger from a cow fed antibiotics and/or hormones - I think the fast food industries should be forced to include the information on the packaging. We need to force them to do this in order to ensure that the industry will offer us health selectionsy. In addition this nutrional knowledge would allow individuals to make educated choices & enable us to protect ourselves. It's my right to know what I am eating. It's us the consumers (patronage) who make it possible fast food industry to exist. Why should we pay out of our pockets & then pay with our health ........and possible our lives.

by crystalee1713 | HOLLSOPPLE, PA

Dec 05, 2007

When mcd's started showing the calories on the wrappers I started to make better choices at the drive thru! I think It is a great idea.

by StaceyD | Menifee, CA

Dec 04, 2007

I think they should! If people don't want to know, they don't have to look. But people have a right to know what they are consuming.

by Happyme | Shell Lake, WI

Dec 04, 2007

I think they should. This would be helpful for me I eat out a lot with a busy life. There are days I just don't care but the guilt of knowing the fat and calories might motivate me to make better choices. Plus the fast food companies could clean up their menus.