Obesity and overeating is a huge problem in America. The CDC estimates that over a third of all adult Americans are obese. To combat this, the FDA passed a bill requiring a greater number of venues that sell food to post calorie counts with their menu items. Soon, you won't be able to order a snack at a movie theater, chain restaurant or pizzeria in America without knowing how many calories you will be consuming.
Public health officials are praising this ruling as a good step towards fighting obesity. Americans get most of their calories from food purchased outside of their home, and this will make sure that they have all of the information they need to make better choices.
"Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories away from home and people today expect clear information about the products they consume. Making calorie information available on chain restaurant menus and vending machines is an important step for public health that will help consumers make informed choices for themselves and their families," said Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D, who works at the FDA.
Margo Wootan, a director of nutrition at the Center for Science in the Public Interest said that this was one of the most important policies to be passed in regards to the nation's nutrition and public health.
"Right now, you are totally guessing at what you are getting. This rule will change that," Wootan said.
This change also affects food sold in vending machines and amusement parks. Any restaurant or purveyor of food with over 20 locations must follow this rule. The FDA also chose to include alcohol sold on menus in the calorie count. Alcohol sold at bars will not be affected. Alcohol was not originally part of the FDA's proposal.
A law requiring food chains to list calorie counts has been in the works since 2010, under the Affordable Care Act. However, there was much contention over how the exact rules were going to be, with backlash from the food industry.
The FDA made some concessions to the food industry after reviewing feedback. For example, pizzerias will be allowed to label the calories on pizza by the slice, rather than the pie.
This ruling goes into effect one year from now, in 2015.
