New and expensive federal regulations stemming from Obamacare that will require many restaurants publish calorie counts probably won’t have much impact on patrons’ food choices, experts told The Huffington Post.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on November 25 that “chain restaurants, similar retail food establishments and vending machines with 20 or more locations” must post calorie counts on their menus or menu boards. The new rules were required by a provision in the Affordable Care Act.
“But extra information may not translate into healthier choices,” Huffington Post said. They turned to experts including David Just, a Cornell professor, who said “the overwhelming majority of the research” shows that people don’t reduce the amount of food they eat when calories are listed. Just had researched how portion labeling influences food choice, Huffington Post noted.
Neither CBS, nor NBC interviewed any food experts who disagreed with the new regulations when they reported on the FDA’s announcement during their evening broadcasts November 25. Instead, both networks’ coverage overwhelmingly supported the regulations rather than questioning the effectiveness of the new rules.
The new rules which may not affect diners’ eating habits also come with a huge price tag. According to the November 25 Wall Street Journal, complying with these regulations will cost $1 billion during the first year alone and “hundreds of millions of dollars” subsequently.
