Evaluating the Impact of Menu Labeling on Food Choices and Intake

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2009 Dec 19

PMID 20019307

Citations 111

Authors

Christina A Roberto

Peter D Larsen

Henry Agnew

Jenny Baik

Kelly D Brownell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We assessed the impact of restaurant menu calorie labels on food choices and intake.

Methods: Participants in a study dinner (n=303) were randomly assigned to either (1) a menu without calorie labels (no calorie labels), (2) a menu with calorie labels (calorie labels), or (3) a menu with calorie labels and a label stating the recommended daily caloric intake for an average adult (calorie labels plus information). Food choices and intake during and after the study dinner were measured.

Results: Participants in both calorie label conditions ordered fewer calories than those in the no calorie labels condition. When calorie label conditions were combined, that group consumed 14% fewer calories than the no calorie labels group. Individuals in the calorie labels condition consumed more calories after the study dinner than those in both other conditions. When calories consumed during and after the study dinner were combined, participants in the calorie labels plus information group consumed an average of 250 fewer calories than those in the other groups.

Conclusions: Calorie labels on restaurant menus impacted food choices and intake; adding a recommended daily caloric requirement label increased this effect, suggesting menu label legislation should require such a label. Future research should evaluate menu labeling's impact on children's food choices and consumption.

Citing Articles

Calorie (energy) labelling for changing selection and consumption of food or alcohol.

Clarke N, Pechey E, Shemilt I, Pilling M, Roberts N, Marteau T Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025; 1:CD014845.

PMID: 39820897 PMC: 11738108. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD014845.pub2.

Restaurants' compliance with calorie labeling policies in food delivery applications.

Alangari A Front Nutr. 2024; 10:1281293.

PMID: 38162518 PMC: 10757599. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1281293.

The impact of the federal menu labeling law on the sentiment of Twitter discussions about restaurants and food retailers: An interrupted time series analysis.

Hswen Y, Moran A, von Ash T, Prasad S, Martheswaran T, Simon D Prev Med Rep. 2023; 36:102478.

PMID: 37927975 PMC: 10622709. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102478.

Public's calorie literacy and perceived effectiveness of restaurant menu calorie labeling in the United Arab Emirates.

Ismail L, Kassem H, Osaili T, Hashim M, Obaid R, Radwan H PLoS One. 2023; 18(10):e0293387.

PMID: 37874847 PMC: 10597515. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293387.

A multi-country comparison of jurisdictions with and without mandatory nutrition labelling policies in restaurants: analysis of behaviours associated with menu labelling in the 2019 International Food Policy Study.

Essman M, Burgoine T, Cameron A, Jones A, Potvin Kent M, Polden M Public Health Nutr. 2023; 26(11):2595-2606.

PMID: 37661595 PMC: 10641604. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980023001775.

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