Tue, May 22 2012

Do calorie counts help you eat healthier?

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altWould you be less likely to order a fast food burger if you knew exactly how much damage you were doing to yourself, calorie-wise? Studies suggest you might not, since cheap food is a bigger motivator than food that's good for you.

According to Reuters, a study published in the British Medical Journal recently found that only one in six people ordered fewer calories when faced with nutrition information while dining at a fast-food establishment. That's progress, however slight - but the researchers say that calorie counts are more likely to just bum people out than encourage them to choose a more healthy meal. After the info was posted, people ate, on average, 44 fewer calories at McDonald's, 80 fewer at Au Bon Pain and 59 fewer at KFC - but actually ate more at Subway, because the "$5 Footlong" deal is just too good to pass up, apparently.

Still, the researchers are emphatic about people's right to know what they're eating - and the hope that calorie knowledge will help people make healthier choices.

"We think, overall, these initial findings are positive," Dr. Lynn Silver, director of New York City's Office of Science and Policy and co-author of the report, told the news outlet. "We're optimistic, as calorie labels go national, and consumers become accustomed to using the information that chains will have a strong incentive to offer lower calorie options."



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