The downstream goal of the law is to enhance diet quality by changing consumer behavior and encouraging food retailers to offer lower calorie items. The federal policy also preempted city and state laws requiring calorie labeling, establishing uniform requirements for chain food establishments across the country. Policymakers adopted this requirement to increase awareness of the calorie content of prepared food purchased outside the home, especially restaurant food, where calories are underestimated by restaurant patrons. In May 2018, restaurant chains with 20 or more locations in the United States were mandated to label their menus with calorie information to comply with the menu labeling provision of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although participants were more likely to notice calories on menus post-labeling, there was no improvement in ability to accurately estimate calories purchased. ConclusionsĬalorie labeling at McDonald’s was not associated with changes in calories purchased in adults, adolescents, or children.
Calorie labeling generally increased the predicted probability of noticing calorie information, but did not improve estimation of calories purchased. ResultsĬalorie labeling at McDonald’s was not associated with changes in calories purchased in adults (change = − 19 cal pre- vs. In 2018, we analyzed the data by using difference-in-differences analyses to estimate associations of calorie labeling with calories purchased (actual and estimated) and predicted probability of noticing calorie information on menus.
Methodsįrom 2010 to 2014, we collected receipts from and administered questionnaires to 2971 adults, 2164 adolescents, and 447 parents/guardians of school-age children during repeated visits to 82 restaurants, including McDonald’s and five control chains that did not label menus over the study period in four New England cities. McDonald’s voluntarily labeled its menus with calories in 2012, providing an opportunity to evaluate this initiative on purchases. The long-term effect of calorie labeling on fast-food purchases is unclear.
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