New York instituted a calorie labeling law in an attempt to reduce obesity. People reported that they selected items with fewer calories. The receipts told a different story. As the NYT reported:
The changes reported by the city health department’s preliminary data were modest, indicating little change either way in the number of calories bought at 8 of 13 chains surveyed, and a significant increase in calories ordered at Subway, which researchers attributed to a continuing $5 promotional special on foot long sandwiches that has tripled demand for them.
From the studies abstract
We examined the influence of menu calorie labels on fast food choices in the wake of New York City's labeling mandate. Receipts and survey responses were collected from 1,156 adults at fast-food restaurants in low-income, minority New York communities. These were compared to a sample in Newark, New Jersey, a city that had not introduced menu labeling. We found that 27.7 percent who saw calorie labeling in New York said the information influenced their choices. However, we did not detect a change in calories purchased after the introduction of calorie labeling.
Another great example of an attempt to fix a problem that was created by the government. First is was fat, then cholesterol, then the food pyramid, then high fructose corn syrup. Good intentions gone bad.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.
Harlan Ellison