FDA menu rule can help us all slim down

Many U.S. chain restaurants and food establishments will be required beginning Dec. 1 to list the calorie count of all food they sell.

The regulation by the Food and Drug Administration affects only standard menu items sold in restaurants and other places that sell ready-to-eat food with at least 20 stores in the chain. The nutrition-labeling requirement is part of the Affordable Care Act’s Title IV: “Prevention of Chronic Disease and Improving Public Health.”

The requirement has three parts: Each menu item must have a clearly visible calorie count; each food establishment must post a statement noting the average daily intake is 2,000 calories; and customers must be told that detailed nutritional information about each menu item is available upon request.

Some restaurants already label their menus. Locally these include Panera Bread, Jamba Juice, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks. The FDA menu-labeling rule will be one of the first steps in creating awareness regarding making healthier choices when dining out.

Becoming more aware of the calories we put in our bodies can help change behavior and decrease obesity and chronic disease. In the long run, healthier eating habits will save the community money.

The average American eats an average of 4.2 commercially prepared meals per week. In other words, as a nation, we eat out between four to five times per week, on average. There is a trend toward more eating out at restaurants instead of preparing meals in the home.

According to the National Restaurant Association, millennials view dining out as a social event. Generally we overindulge during social events.

The primary risk factors for excess weight are overconsumption of calories and inadequate physical activity. Food offered for sale by restaurants and similar retail food establishments represents one of the many complex factors that contribute to overconsumption and obesity.

Restaurant foods typically have more calories, fat and larger portion sizes. They also tend to be lower in fiber and other essential nutrients than home-prepared foods. Making restaurants list the calories of their food items not only can make vendors more aware of what they are serving people, but will raise questions for loyal and concerned customers. The conversation around healthy food options needs to start here.

More than one-third of Americans are obese. Related health conditions including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable deaths.

Despite recent declines in its prevalence among preschool-age children, obesity among children still is too high. A small reduction in calorie intake can go a long way.

The FDA says given the drastic impact of obesity on the health care system and other health risks, if just 0.6 percent of the obese adult population reduced their intake by 100 calories a week, we would see a net benefit from the menu-labeling requirement at least as great as the costs.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. health care spending increased 3.6 percent in 2013 to reach $2.9 trillion, or $9,255 per person. The share of the economy devoted to health spending has remained at 17.4 percent since 2009 as health spending and the gross domestic product increased at similar rates for 2010-2013.

Given the high cost of obesity in the health care system, the FDA estimates the new requirement will produce societal savings of anywhere from $3.7 billion to $10.4 billion over the next 20 years despite the cost of adding nutritional information to the menus.

Restaurants and similar food establishments can help by offering more healthy options that provide energy and sustenance. Chain restaurants that list calorie counts on their menus average nearly 140 fewer calories per item than those that do not post the information.

Making better eating decisions can lead to a decrease in obesity rates and rates of preventable deaths. A healthier community starts at the local restaurants where we gather with families and friends to enjoy our meals.

This story was originally published March 6, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "FDA menu rule can help us all slim down."