Originally published in The DASH-NY Newsletter January 2013
by Shara Siegel
New York City pioneered calorie labeling in 2008, with Albany following close after in 2009. These efforts served as a model for the national legislation mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The ACA requires that calorie labels be added to standard items on menus and menu boards of chain restaurants with 20 or more locations doing business under the same name, which would include places like Starbucks, McDonalds, and Cosi, to name a few examples. According to the law, if you want to know specific nutritional information about a brownie, burger, or strawberry banana smoothie at any of these venues, they will have to disclose this in written form upon request. Requests could include anything from total calories and calories from fat to the amounts of fat and saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total and complex carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fiber, and protein.
Calorie labeling is intended to help Americans make healthier nutritional choices when presented with information about their choice at the point of consumption. With more people purchasing food outside their homes and the rates of obesity continuing to grow, this intervention is timely and can potentially affect millions of people. A recent NYS DOH effort, “ichoose600,” built upon this idea, encouraging mothers in particular to aim for a target of 600 calories or less when buying meals at fast food restaurants. The campaign saw great results with increased recognition and use of posted calorie labels in chain restaurants in four counties in New York State.
Now, with the ACA, vending machines will also be subject to some regulations designed to make consumers more conscious about their food choices. Vending machines offer easy, convenient, and quick access to food, but they are not typically stocked with the most nutritious items. The ACA requires vending machine operators who own or operate 20 or more vending machines to disclose calorie content for items that are being sold. Reaching for that 3 p.m. candy bar? The new regulations might cause you to think twice! Check the Food and Drug Administration website for more information on the topic, and theFederal Register notice for more details on the requirements.