Menu labeling lowers caloric intake.

According to a new research, menu labeling has made ore people aware of how many calories are in restaurant meals and has some people reducing their intake. The study evaluated the effects of new requirements for chain restaurants to label their menu items with their corresponding caloric content by following restaurant patrons 18 months after implementation of the law- a longer period than previously published studies. The researchers looked at various types of chain restaurants, including burger restaurants, sandwich shops and coffee shops. "Most people have no idea how many calories are found in restaurant meals," said lead study author James Kreiger, MD, MPH, of the public health department of Seattle and King County in Washington. The study found that after the regulations were put in place, more people reported being aware of posted caloric information. after 18 months, customers of taco restaurants consumed fewer overall calories from beverages. Those results may be due to 'customization', Krieger said, people can decide whether to put additional calories of sour cream or guacomole on a taco.