When calorie counts are posted in fast food restaurants, not much counting gets done

When calorie counts are posted on fast food menus, know what people do?

Nothing.

Or rather, they don’t do anything differently. Like order smaller portions, or fewer portions, or cut back on soft drinks.

For more than a year, researchers at Duke-National University of Singapore followed the ordering habits of customers at 14 locations of a fast food chain called Taco Time. Half the locations posted calorie information for each menu item, and half did not.

Turns out, when folks order Nachos Grande they WANT it Grande. It’s 930 calories? Bring it, amigo!

One of the researchers told CNN: “We looked at the variables – the transactions, total calories per transaction, food, dessert, entrees. We weren’t able to find any effect whatsoever.”

Apparently this result was a surprise. But why? When people pull into a fast food place like Taco Time (it’s basically a “Taco Bell” with a clock instead of a bell), they’re not thinking “restraint.” They’re thinking “YUM!”

And small portions with less cheese, lite sour cream, no enchilada sauce, and a cup of ice water does not deliver nearly as much yum.

Later this year, all chain restaurants nationwide will be required to post calorie counts for all menu items. This is part of the new health care law and it’s supposed to help curb obesity.

As the D-NUS study shows, it will curb nothing.

I’m sure some will find it useful. But people who actually watch their daily calorie intake are already thoughtful about their food choices. And one of the best choices they generally make is to drive right past Taco Time and Taco Bell and other fast food restaurants.

Sources:
“Customers pay little heed to calories on menus” Madison Park, CNN, 1/18/11, pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com