Calorie Count Posting Requirements

OK, I'm sure if you’re like me you have recently felt like your eyesight was getting worse each time you go to a fast-food establishment.  Surprise! - It's not you, but rather the smaller print as a result of almost doubling the text on the menu boards to accommodate the new nutritional calorie posting laws.  Like we needed the calories posted to tell us fast-food was high in calories and fat.  I personally think it is overkill and unnecessary to place the calorie count directly on the menu next to each item...wouldn't just requiring the restaurant to have the nutritional info available on request have been enough?  Oh wait, that was the requirement and unfortunately people kept eating the food anyway.  So now the "smart people" have forced restaurants to put the info directly on the menu.  Next they will want the establishments to put pictures of obese people on the menu and in their TV ads!  But here's the deal, once someone enters the restaurant and is salivating about what they are going to eat, guess what...their habits don't change - they eat what they like!  They are satisfying emotional cravings and the logical side of the decision is out the window.  If you want to make a difference in how and what people eat, you must educate them when they are already thinking logically like in our schools.  Then the best bet is people will make better decisions long before they reach the feeding line.  So if you want to make a difference you have to Make It Matter - menu labeling makes no difference (check out the research in the article).

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=649874